NAIROBI — Chinese telecommunications giants, ZTE and Huawei, announced a new partnership with Kenyan grassroots organizations on Nov 20, to promote girl child education, female entrepreneurship and the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Kenyan First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta, witnessed the signing of the agreement between Kenyan civil society organizations and Chinese firms to advance sustainable development in the east African nation.

“For the past 50 years, relations between Kenya and China have spectacularly blossomed and the benefits are visible across all human endeavors,” Margaret said.

Chinese firms have rolled out robust corporate social responsibility projects to tackle poverty, illiteracy, disease and environmental depletion in Kenya.

Margaret noted that Kenya-Chinese ties have reached a new milestone as the two countries partner in areas that guarantee mutual benefit.

“It is important to note that ties between Kenya and China are based on sound values alongside shared aspiration. They have for the past half a century followed the course of mutual respect and development,” said Kenyatta.

She added that China’s support in diverse areas like infrastructure development, education, health, agriculture and energy has propelled socioeconomic revival in Kenya.

The Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa, said China will support initiatives that foster peace and sustainable development.

“Chinese and Kenyan institutions will partner to promote shared interests identified in the China-Africa people to people friendship launched in 2012,” said Liu.

He revealed the Chinese Embassy will hold a series of activities under its flagship Love for Kenya program to promote socioeconomic renewal in the east African nation.

ZTE Corporation has partnered with the Nairobi-based Forum for African Women Educationists to provide entrepreneur skills to 100 women in western Kenya.

Liu Sen, CEO of ZTE Corporation, Kenya, said financially challenged women will be able to access seed capital and training to initiate micro-enterprises. “Our project focuses on long-term solution to poverty that denies women a chance to realize their potential,” Liu said.

Meanwhile, Huawei Technologies has partnered with a community- based organization, Shades of Hope, to fight the AIDS pandemic in Samburu County.

Yu Dingpeng, CEO of Huawei Technologies, Kenya, said his company has financed community-led interventions to reduce HIV transmission in remote villages.

“We have supported Shades of Hope to implement the voluntary male circumcision and other innovative programs to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS,”he said.