First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has pledged to continue engaging in charity work through her Beyond Zero initiative beyond her term in office.
The First Lady said Beyond Zero will continue leveraging on its partnerships to address gender inequality, maternal health, and support for children with disability as well as other vulnerable groups.
“We must embrace ideas and innovation, learn from each other, apply local and sustainable solutions, so that we can continue to avert the risks our women, our youth, our marginalised, and our vulnerable face. And I truly look forward to serving that cause long after my race as First Lady is run,” she said.
At the same time, she noted that progress had been made during her 10-year advocacy for the eradication of maternal deaths, stereotyping and social stigma of people living with HIV and Aids and other forms of ill-health.
“I am here to assure you that I will continue to deliver on the promise I made 10 years ago. Because we recognise that there is a great deal of work to be done to support women, children and vulnerable communities," she said. “The journey is long and we are nowhere near its end. The world needs more heads, hands and hearts devoted to doing it."
She was speaking at State House, Nairobi on Thursday at a ceremony to mark 10 years of Beyond Zero initiative and the recent establishment of the Margaret Kenyatta Institute for Gender and Social Development.
She said her charity work over the decade was defined by the desire to ensure that no Kenyan woman died while giving birth.
She thanked Beyond Zero partners, Kenyans and well-wishers for their support, and rallied them to continue backing her efforts towards achieving social justice and equity for vulnerable communities.
“Re-commit, with me, to the cause of equality between men and women. Re-commit, with me, to the cause of ending deaths in child birth. Re-commit, with me, to making sure that every disabled child can live as independent and productive a life as they are capable," the First Lady said, adding that Beyond Zero will continue advocacy for sustainability of the Linda Mama maternal health programme.
