KiK donates vaccines for RMG workers thru BGMEA

Renowned German brand KiK has donated to purchase Covid-19 vaccines for readymade garment workers in Bangladesh.

The donation was made through Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) which will be forwarded to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a press release of BGMEA said on Tuesday.

The donation comes as a part of the KiK’s social responsibility as a long-standing partner of the garment industry in Bangladesh.

In addition to sourcing garment, KiK has been involved with social projects in Bangladesh for many years and established a number of charitable organisations like schools and medical stations.

Patrick Zahn, chief executive officer of the German brand, said, "As a result of our many years of close cooperation, we became very aware of the impact of the corona pandemic in the country and the garment industry in particular. People in this industry work indoors, where they are at increased risk of infection.

"For me, there is no doubt that vaccination is the best protection against the coronavirus. With our donation, we want to make a contribution to ensure that people in the garment industry in Bangladesh are protected in the best possible way," he added.

Lauding KiK’s initiative, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said, "The garment industry serves as the most important pillar of Bangladesh economy. This sector has suffered tremendously from the effects of the Covid pandemic and continues to do so to this day.

"To protect the entire economy of the country, it is crucial that workers and employees in this industry can be offered a vaccine. Thanks to the generous donation of the German company KiK, we are able to procure and vaccinate thousands of RMG workers in Bangladesh," he said.

"The financial contribution made by KiK for workers’ wellbeing is a shining example which, we believe, will inspire other brands to follow suit," the press statement said.

Earlier, BGMEA requested the government to bring apparel workers under vaccination on a priority basis, considering them as frontliners.

As a result, the government launched the vaccination programme for the RMG workers in July this year which is going on at present.