Zain offers meals to ‘support’ country’s tremendous efforts against coronavirus

Initiative in collaboration with Kuwait Food Bank

KUWAIT CITY, April 1: Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, announced the offering meals that are being continuously distributed in collaboration with the Kuwait Food Bank to aid efforts during the current circumstances. The company also offered smartphone charging stations at Kuwait International Airport to facilitate communication of Kuwaitis returning home with their families. The initiative came to support the country’s tremendous efforts in these exceptional circumstances to fight the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kuwait.

This initiative came as part of Zain’s commitment towards the nation and in line with its comprehensive corporate sustainability and social responsibility strategy, ultimately reflecting the Kuwaiti private sector’s role in shouldering the public sector for the nation’s wellbeing. This is especially true in such times of crisis, where the Kuwaiti society’s strength and unity are at their highest.

Zain offers nearly 30,000 meals in collaboration with the Kuwait Food Bank, where a large number of the meals was distributed during the week dedicated by the Ministry of Health at Kuwait International Fairgrounds in Mishref to conduct tests for residents who recently entered the country. The meals were a contribution by the company to ease the long waiting times while waiting in line. Many meals are also being continuously distributed at Kuwait International Airport’s gates dedicated for residents who are returning to their countries because of this crisis.

Zain also offered many smartphone charging stations at Kuwait International Airport to serve Kuwaiti citizens who are returning home as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ evacuation plan to bring Kuwaitis back home from all over the world during this crisis. This contribution aimed at facilitating communication between returning Kuwaitis and their families as soon as they arrive to Kuwait. Zain is also continuously distributing a large number of meals to them in collaboration with the Kuwait Food Bank and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

As part of its national commitment during this crisis, Zain recently announced offering free Internet caps and local voice calls for a period of one month in collaboration with the Communication

Zain Kuwait HQ Building 2019

and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA). The initiative came as part of the company’s commitment towards its customers during these exceptional circumstances. Zain also changed its network’s name to STAY HOME in line with the directives of the Council of Ministers to remind its valued customers to commit to staying at home as much as possible and contribute to ending this pandemic together.

The company also launched a social media campaign entitled “This is Your Time” to send positive messages to the public about the importance of being a responsible citizen in this time of crisis, not listen to rumors nor spread them, take part in volunteer efforts, commit to staying at home, as well as abiding by the authorities directives.

Since the beginning of the crisis, Zain collaborated with the Ministry of Health to offer its customers FREE calls to any of MOH’s three hotlines; 24970967, 96049698, and 99048619 in order to enable them to inquire about any health or medical information related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) directly from the ministry’s specialized team and ensure taking the correct information from the official and certified sources.

As part of its continuous collaboration with the various ministries, Zain also provided the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior with FREE bulk SMS messages to send medical and awareness content to the community during this period. In addition, the company sent a number of awareness messages in collaboration with MOH’s team through its official social media channels. Zain also broadcasted official MOH awareness videos on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in seven languages: Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Farsi, Filipino, Bengali, and Santhali.

Zain affirmed its utmost commitment in all the instructions and precautionary measures outlined by the Ministry of Health to contribute to fighting the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kuwait. Zain supplied all its branches that are operational during the official break, as well as all its kiosks and self-service machines in all of Kuwait’s areas with sanitizers, and the company’s team continuously and periodically sanitizes all operational branches and all machines and products to ensure the safety of customers and staff. Zain also notified all sales staff to wear medical gloves, stop the use of biometric devices, and more.

Zain also launched an internal awareness campaign for the safety of its employees, through which the company distributed precautionary items and sanitizers to all staff and sent periodic awareness content.

Zain spares no efforts to achieve its comprehensive Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibly Strategy that closely focuses on supporting the public sector and shouldering public health initiatives. The company strongly believes that launching and supporting such initiatives helps infuse a sense of responsibility into members of the society, and help support those who are in need of help.

Zain is proud of its long list of programs and contributions that serve noble causes through strategically partnering with all entities, including non-profit organizations, governmental institutions, and global entities.

DALLAS, April 1, (AP): The Treasury Department wants airlines to say how they will compensate the government for $25 billion in grants used to keep employees on the payroll during the coronavirus outbreak.

The economic-relief bill passed last week gives the Treasury Secretary the power to take an equity stake in airlines that get taxpayer help.

The law provides money for grants and another $25 billion in loans or loan guarantees for passenger airlines hurt by the severe drop in travel from the outbreak. The number of people going through security checkpoints at U.S. airports has plunged more than 90% from a year ago, and airlines have suspended nearly all of their international flights.

The Treasury Department warned airlines in a document posted Monday night to apply for aid by late Friday or face delays in processing their requests. If they fail to apply by April 27, they could be shut out.

American Airlines said it will seek $12 billion. Other carriers said Tuesday they were still reviewing the terms. Airline CEOs and unions lobbied Congress and the White House for the grant money, which must be spent on payroll expenses that avoid the need for layoffs.