Grab, Red Cross join hands in solidarity with people in need

KUALA LUMPUR: Grab and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) yesterday announced a partnership to raise funds for those in need, including those affected by disasters especially in Southeast Asia.

The collaboration will enable Grab users to convert their accumulated points into donations to the IFRC.

This is the first of its kind donation method for IFRC to be carried out via smartphone, marking the new chapter for Grab and the IFRC working together to support the disasterprone Southeast Asian region, following an earlier partnership in 2016.

“Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions for disasters where many people are still struggling to access food, safe water, health services or basic livelihoods. Working together with the Red Cross and Red Crescent to fund their programmes and help people in crisis or despair echoes our mission to drive Southeast Asia forward,“Managing Director of GrabPay Southeast Asia, Jason Thompson said in a statement.

He said using GrabRewards from rides taken with Grab as a platform made donating as easy as a tap on your phone.

Meanwhile, IFRC Head of Partnerships for Asia Pacific, Pierre Kremer said this is the first time IFRC had partnered with a smartphone app to raise fund.

“We have in common a commitment to expand peopleto-people connections and solidarity and contribute to build resilient communities, cities and countries,” he said.

From Jan 31 onwards, Grab users in Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam can visit their GrabRewards catalogue and convert their points into donations, with just a tap on their everyday app.

The donation starts at RM5 in exchange for 700 GrabRewards points.