Standard Group Enters Into an Agreement With Olympians

The Standard Group has entered into a working relationship with the Special Olympics Kenya.

This relationship will see the media house cover all events of the organisation leading up to 2008 Summer Olympic Games in China and beyond.

Special Olympics Kenya (SOK) officials paid a courtesy call at the Standard Group offices on Wednesday and met various directors of the company when the partnership was discussed and agreed upon.

Ms Milcah Omenda, the National Director of SOK, said the partnership would help her association publicise their events with the aim of bringing more people on board in their programmes.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics show that 10 per cent of the population is disabled. About three per cent are mentally disabled. Kenya has about 900,000 of these cases.

She said despite the huge number, only 21,000 cases have come to their attention and are confident that the partnership with the Standard Group will help bring on board more people.

"We want to use the publicity to encourage more parents to bring out their children who are mentally retarded," she said.

She said the national championships to pick athletes to represent Kenya in the Special Olympics in China would be held between October 5 and 8 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The chairman of SOK, Mr James Kimonye, thanked the Standard Group for accepting to be their partners.

"We are very grateful to the group for taking us on board," he said.

He said a fund-raising dinner would be held on September 30 at Tin Tin Restaurant to raise money for the Special Olympics team.

The Standard Group Deputy Chairman and Strategy Adviser, Paul Melly, said they company was honoured to help the association publicise their activities.

"We are honoured to support such a worthy cause that will enable athletes to compete and win medals thereby becoming good ambassadors of this country," he said.

Melly appealed to other corporate organisations to help SOK run their activities and recruit many more athletes.

The Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr Paul Wanyagah, said the media house is dedicated to covering SOK's events from now until they leave for Shanghai China for the Special Olympics.

Wanyagah asked the association to provide upto date information when required.

The Group Editorial Director Kwendo Opanga also attended the function.