The Kenyans for Kenya fund is the biggest fundraising effort of its kind and is using technological innovations such as the mobile network Safaricom’s M-PESA a money transfer service, to receive donations towards the famine in the horn of Africa.

The initiative brings together key players in Kenya – including corporate organisations, the media and individuals – who are all uniting to help the situation in their own and neighbouring countries.

It aims to raise Kshs 500 million (£3.3million) in one month aimed at addressing the suffering of an estimated 3.5 million Kenyans faced with starvation in Northern Kenya. The Kshs 500 million was raised in the first two weeks of the campaign. The current total stands at an amazing Kshs 671,784,062 (£4,472,747.26).

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said: “Through this unprecedented effort, Safaricom Foundation has taken a moral responsibility to lead corporate Kenya’s response to the country’s worst famine in six decades.”

M-PESA, Safaricom’s money transfer service has been used to receive donations, the service has waived its charge for cash transactions so that even the smallest donation (as low as Sh10) is harnessed. Donations can be sent to the M-PESA PayBill number 111111.

Money raised through the KENYANS for KENYA campaign is expected to be used to finance a raft of short and medium term interventions aimed at alleviating the suffering of the most vulnerable groups and eventually underpin food security in the long term.