Launched in March this year, 'Changing Lives' is raising money to provide clean water, education, environmental sustainability and health care to communities across Africa. Over the next three years Kenya Airways hopes to collect US$900,000 from the three million passengers it flies every year by encouraging them to donate loose change.

AMREF and the Nairobi Rotary Club will use the money to help disadvantaged people in Africa. The Rotary and AMREF brands are globally recognised and respected, with a presence in countries where Kenya Airways flies. “This is an excellent opportunity for Kenya Airways passengers to get involved in projects that directly touch the lives of people, improving their health and livelihood,” says Dr Michael Smalley, AMREF’s Director General.

Three months after the launch, 'Changing Lives' has proved very popular with Kenya Airways passengers, who have eagerly supported the cause, generously donating their change, and sometimes much more than change. The money is placed in special envelopes provided on board the plane and collected by flight attendants, who are always ready to answer questions. Passengers will receive regular updates on the how the money collected is used, so that they can see how their contributions are changing the lives of others.

The success of the programme has to a large extent been as a result of the efforts of Kenya Airways crew, led by flight pursers, who have taken up their duties as 'Changing Lives' ambassadors with great enthusiasm.

Below are a few remarks from happy passengers after they received a ‘Thank You’ note from AMREF for their donations.

“Thanks. I never dreamt that I would receive an email for the little change I deposited. This makes me feel I should do more next time.” John M

“Thank you for acknowledging the small change I gave. I am a frequent flier and next time there will be some good change.” Enoch H O

“Thank you for writing to me. I didn't know this was such an important organisation. When I come again I hope to give more. Thanks and keep it up. See you in the future.” George

“You are welcome. I will always be ready to assist if called upon. I also want to wish you well as you continue with the struggle to change lives.” Henry R

“Thanks for the surprise feedback. I am now more committed than ever to contributing to any causes you may have. Just keep me in the loop. Thanks so much for changing my life too.”  P. G

The three-year programme, called 'Changing Lives', will fund projects that facilitate access to water, education, environmental sustainability and health care.

AMREF and the Nairobi Rotary Club are implementing partners of the programme, while KQ will raise the money by encouraging passengers on both international and local flights to donate loose change. The airline flies three million passengers every year, from whom it hopes to collect US$300,000 annually for the next three years.

“AMREF and the Rotary Club, in consultation with Kenya Airways, will invest the funds in activities that ensure disadvantaged people meet their basic needs and are able to live with dignity,” said Mr Titus Naikuni, the airline's Managing Director.

Of the total amount targeted, US$50,000 will be collected on local flights, and US$250,000 on international flights. Donations will be put into specially designed envelopes that will be collected by in-flight attendants. The attendants, who are the official ambassadors of the Changing Lives programme, have undergone a three-month preparatory course to ensure that the initiative is a success. 

The Rotary and AMREF brands are globally recognised and respected with a presence in countries where Kenya Airways flies.

“This is an excellent opportunity for Kenya Airways passengers to get involved in projects that directly touch the lives of people, improving their health and livelihood,” said Dr Michael Smalley, AMREF’s Director General.

‘Changing Lives’ will run for an initial three years and all the money raised will go to the following areas:

• Safe Water
• Quality education
• The environment 
• Quality health care
  

You can donate securely through this site and will re redirected to our payment page on World Pay to complete your transaction.

Change Lives®

‘Changing lives’ is an innovative partnership between AMREF, the Rotary club of Nairobi and Kenya Airways. Established in 2008, it is an initial 3 year partnership where Travelers on all Kenya Airways flights can donate unused foreign currencies to flight crew onboard the aircraft.

Thanks to the generous support of passengers Changing Lives will use the money to provide a healthier and happier future for millions of those who need it in Africa.

Send us your unused foreign currency today

If you are unable to donate your foreign currency on a Kenya Airways flight, you can still support Changing Lives by sending your donation through the following:

Cheques written to the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF)
AMREF International Headquarters
ATTN: Fundraising Office - Changing Lives, P.O. Box 27691 - 00506
AMREF Training Centre – Langata Road
Nairobi, Kenya

Or donate on this site using your credit card

As donations of foreign coins are processed in bulk by a third party vendor, please note that the acknowledgment you receive for your donation will not specify the amount of your donation.

Being a "Champion for Changing Lives"

Special opportunity for Kenya Airways flight crew

Kenya Airways, AMREF and the Rotary club of Nairobi are working together to take the Changing Lives program to a new level of success by creating new opportunities for employees of Kenya Airways to get involved. "Champions for changing lives" is a volunteer program designed to empower flight attendants and other Kenya Airways staff to take action and improve lives as they perform everyday work duties. The Changing lives program could not exist without the incredible volunteer support from Champions. Changing lives is spearheaded by the Kenya Airways cabin crew as ambassadors and supported by Kenya Airways corporately and staff.

"To Consistently be a Safe & Profitable Airline that Guarantees World Class Service."

Mission

To Maximize Stakeholder Value by Consistently …

• Providing the Highest level of Customer Satisfaction
• Upholding the Highest level of Safety and Security
• Maximizing Employee Satisfaction
  

… whilst being Committed to Corporate & Social Responsibility.

Goals

• To achieve world class standards in service delivery, product quality and operational performance.
• To be the Airline of choice in Africa
• To develop JKIA as a premier hub in Africa
• To pursue a business model that will deliver consistent level of profitability.
  

In summary our actions, our behaviour and our attitude at work will be driven by safety, customer satisfaction and quality considerations.

General Strategy

An important consistent trend about commercial aviation is that it is a fiercely competitive and highly volatile industry, in which fortunes shift continuously. As the drive towards a free, converging and global market gathers momentum, competition within the airline industry is expected to intensify. Increasingly open skies are likely to impact on yields, and extraordinary profits will increasingly be an exception.

Given this potentially turbulent environment, the key to survival in the industry lies in whether an airline is able to clearly anticipate the patterns of change coming, the underlying forces driving these changes, and above all the ability to align its strategies to respond to a changing business and aero-political environment.

With this in mind, Kenya Airways is committed to investing in the development of world-class information gathering capacity, analysis and interpretation so as to facilitate faster and correct business decision-making. This way, Kenya Airways hopes to enhance ability for rapid response to opportunities, threats and challenges in the market place.

In concrete terms, in the next 10 to 20 years, Kenya Airways aims to grow into a decidedly dominant carrier in Africa with notable presence in Asia , Europe and the Americas , while operating a modern fleet of 30 to 40 aircraft. Kenya Airways intends to forge strong partnerships and be a respected member of the global airline community.

Future Outlook

We continue to focus on profitable expansion of our network through a combination of direct access and alliances with other carriers.

Sustainable improvement in yield will be pursued through a combination of a new revenue management system and better discipline. Management will also place emphasis on greater productivity, costs restraints and reduction in wastage.

Our people are our greatest asset and focus on their development and the way they are both managed an organized out to ensure we attract and retain the best and that they are equipped to serve our customers in line with our being a world class standard airline.

There is an extreme reality show called Fear Factor where contestants are put up against each other to do all kinds of ghastly things such as eating roaches, worms and raw meat to prove who is tougher and also walks away with quite a hefty sum of money. Well, I came to realise that there are people whose everyday lives are like an episode in this reality show, when I met Sitenei a 34-year woman in Loitoktok, 300 kilometres south of Kenya’s capital city Nairobi.

Sitenei narrated her story to Kenya Airways cabin crew during a project visit in the Mashuru area of Loitoktok district, as part of the Changing Lives partnership. “I will never forget that day, 4 years ago. I was 8 months pregnant and I had a difficult time waking up that particular morning but an overwhelming thirst forced me to open my eyes. A few hours earlier I had heard my two co-wives wake up and go ahead to fetch water 15km away, but I knew they would not bring back any water for my family so I gathered all strength I could and forced myself on the 15km long journey to the nearest water point.”

She took her donkey and two jerry cans and was on her way. The sun was unforgiving this particular day and she felt it was furious at her for going to the river so late. The immense heat was her punishment. She was soon so thirsty that she felt she was at her wits end and thought she would die without something, anything to cool her tongue.

“I saw a herd of cattle ahead and knew what I had to do. I got off my donkey cart and approached the herds’ boy. I asked him if he had some spare water to quench my thirst but he said he didn’t. My tongue was now as dry as sandpaper and I had to save myself. I requested him to allow me to fill my water bottle with cow urine from his herd. The boy laughed it off as a joke but I guess he saw the desperate look in my eyes and immediately went off in search of a urinating cow. After what seemed like eternity, the boy came back with the valuable liquid. Without a thought I downed the urine and instantly felt a deep revulsion.”

“With a bitter taste in my mouth I gathered up the remaining strength and went on with my journey in search for water. Sharp cramps started running through my body and I thought I was suffering the after effects of drinking the urine. Little did I know that my labour pains had actually started! I continued walking. I was about to get to the water point when I met my two co-wives on their way back. Though they sympathised with me, they had to go on their daily business. I got to the water point and crawled to fetch the water. Immediately after I had filled my container, my uterus water ‘broke’. I was all alone with no one to help me. I crawled to a nearby tree, supported myself and delivered one baby, then the second. I had twins! I tore up my leso (traditional Maasai cloth usually wrapped around the shoulders) and wrapped the babies. I looked around for my donkey, which luckily hadn’t escaped. I struggled and got on board the cart as I weakly held on to my babies and started my long journey home. To cut the long story short my babies and I survived the ordeal.”

Today in the village they call me ‘Mama Miracle Twins,” she says with a smile. “While I wish I could forget that day four years ago, I thank God for the blessing of these healthy babies. I now thank God for AMREF’s presence in our area as I have hope that my children will not go through a similar experience.

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the physiological need is the strongest need of all. Man has before anything else the need for water and food in order to survive. When a person is thirsty the area of consciousness is filled with the desire to drink. All other needs stay in the background though in no way non-existent. This explains Sitenei’s reaction to save her life and that of her children.

Sitenei told this story to KQ cabin crew who had visited Loitoktok to see the difference AMREF’s interventions made in the lives of the communities there. Needless to say, Sitenei’s story had a deep impact on the team and tears flowed freely. Her story is an appeal to organisations and other donors to join AMREF and KQ in changing lives by giving communities access basic services like water, sanitation, hygiene and health care.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club in Leeds and chartered on 11th September 1930, the Rotary Club Of Nairobi is the third oldest club in Africa (after Johannesburg & Cairo). In District 9200, which covers the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Eritrea, it is the oldest and largest with a membership of more than 95. The club has a broad age spectrum and ethnic background, and both genders are represented well.

Very dynamic and vibrant, our club has many active projects in different areas of service, many of which are directed towards youth, water, lteracy and health. Rotary Club Of Nairobi's Innerwheel Club (overseas No 1) has been active since 1941.

Vision

• To remain the leading Rotary Club in Kenya and beyond, where dynamic members enjoy bringing great benefit to their community.

Mission

• To implement high impact service projects in education, in health, with youth and elsewhere, while members enjoy each others’ fellowship.
  

Values

• Commitment
• Care
• Humility
• Friendliness
• Trustworthiness
• Responsivenes

The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) is an international African organisation headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

AMREF's vision is Better Health for Africa.

AMREF's mission is to ensure that every African can enjoy the right to good health by helping to create vibrant networks of informed communities that work with empowered health care providers in strong health systems.

AMREF has 50 years’ experience in health development. In 1957, three surgeons founded the Flying Doctors Service of East Africa, laying the foundation for what is now one of the continent’s leading health development and research organisations. Today, AMREF implements its projects through country programmes in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Southern Sudan and South Africa. Training and consulting support are provided to an additional 30 African countries.

Knowledge is a core product of AMREF’s activities. AMREF implements projects to learn, and shares this evidence-based knowledge with others to advocate for changes in health policy and practice. Based on the belief that health is a basic human right, AMREF seeks to empower communities to take control of their health and to establish a vibrant and participatory health care system made up of communities, health workers and governments.

Strategic Focus

AMREF’s strategy seeks to strengthen health systems and to design and enhance interventions that improve people’s access to health through their active participation. Informed by Africa’s health crisis, AMREF’s comparative advantage and five decades’ experience of working with communities and health systems in the region, the AMREF strategy will be pursued through three interdependent programme themes:

1. Community Partnering for Better Health
2. Health Systems and Policy Research
3. Capacity Building

Management Responsibility

Description Of Duties:

Accountability:

i.    Supervision: Works independently under the authority of Director of Health Policy and Systems Research and within strategy and policy guidelines
ii.    Decision Making: Has full responsibility of decisions.
iii.    Responsibility over data or information: Has access to important and highly confidential country data and information.
iv.    Responsibility over assets:
v.    Responsibility over Staff: 

Job Specifications

Professional Qualifications:

•    Masters in Social Sciences, preferably Economics/Sociology and Mathematics/Statistics

•    Qualitative and quantitative research design

Relevant Experience:

 Strong methodological background

Length Of Experience:

  2 years

Key Skills:

 Ability to analyze and evaluate information from a wide variety of sources and present it in a usable format to a variety of audiences
•    Excellent oral, written, presentation.
•    Well versed with analytical packages as SPSS, STATA, EPI-INFO etc
•    Ability to acquire the latest research skills and tools
•    Research skills

Personal Attributes :

Interpersonal communication skills in dealing with people at all level

What is a fundraising product?

Management Responsibility

Description Of Duties:

Accountability:

i.    Supervision: Work independently with authority from International Fundraising Director and within policy guidelines.
ii.    Decision Making: Makes decisions with regards to work responsibilities and deployment of resources and is accountable for them.
iii.    Responsibility over data or information: has access to fundraising information on all AMREF Country, Field and Corporate offices. Responsible for ensuring confidentiality of sensitive materials, and compliance with all relevant laws and best practice.
iv.    Responsibility over assets: Computer, printer, office furniture. Custodian of various communication and fundraising reports and data. Custodian of stock that has not been distributed.
v.    Responsibility over Staff:  No staff at present but the Product Development Team could be expanded if the concept proves itself and a case for expansion is made.

Required Qualifications

Professional Qualifications:

•    Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field

Relevant Experience:

•    Track record of developing, launching and refining profitable products on a scale relevant to this role.
•    Demonstrable ability to set priorities for product development.
•    Comprehensive knowledge of market research techniques and how their application to product development
•    Experienced with marketing and sales activities throughout the various product life cycle phases
•    Track record of managing profit and loss, and setting budgets  

Desirable:

•    Experience gained in the not-for-profit sector, or a business environment that is relevant to this role.
•    Experience of developing products that are sold internationally

Length Of Experience:

 5 Years    

Key Skills:

•    A decisive and astute decision maker.

•    Analytical skills, to critically evaluate information gathered from multiple sources.
•    Organizational skills, to organize, store and retrieve an array of information.
•    Highly organized with the ability to implement systems and follow-up processes and use independent judgment to produce a quality work product.
•    Demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills in English, including demonstrable track record in writing clear requirements and product specifications.
•    An ability to lead, manage and motivate people.
•    A persuasive negotiator and influencer.
•    Makes and keeps promises.
•    Proficient with the Microsoft Office suite. 

Desirable:

•    Good standard in at least one European language other than English.

Personal Attributes    

•    An entrepreneurial spirit – can generate ideas and turn them into profitable products.
•    An excellent eye for detail and a passion for quality
•    Demonstrates high-energy, good relationship building skills to work closely with internal teams & customers.
•    Applied creativity and imagination with an ability to generate ideas to a brief and solve complex problems
•    Courage and determination to succeed even when faced with obstacles.
•    The ability to flex from big picture strategy to detailed operational activity.
•    The ability to prioritise and manage own time, while running multiple projects. 

Desirable:

•    Able to maintain a sense of humour even when under pressure
•    A natural customer focus – constantly striving to deliver the best result for internal and external customers.

Performance Standard For This Job:

Quality of work as indicated by achievement of specific goals and objectives as detailed in the Corporate and unit work plan.