Safaricom, through M-PESA, in partnership with VISA, on Monday awarded four lucky Kenyans, namely, Mwaniki Munuhe from Nyahururu, Abdirahaman Faysal, Abdinasir Barre, and Michael Chege Kariuki from Nairobi, with a fully paid trip to Paris for the ongoing Summer Olympic Games.

The four won their tickets to Paris in the just-concluded MPESA GlobalPay promotion. They used the M-PESA GlobalPay Virtual Visa Card to qualify for the weekly draws, and they later won spots.

The winners will have the chance to travel to Paris with a companion of their choice, where they can take part in a variety of track and field events and support and interact with their favorite athletes from Kenya and beyond.

“I am a huge fan of the Olympics, but I have never attended any Olympic games in person. This will be a thrilling and historic moment for me. I believe this is the best gift ever Safaricom has offered me. I hope to have fun and interact with some of my favorite athletes from Kenya and other parts of the world. A big thanks to Safaricom and Visa for making this possible,” said Michael Chege, one of the lucky winners.

The trip package includes flights, accommodation, food, drinks, and stadium tickets for various Olympic events.

Any transaction worth KES 1,500 and above made via the M-PESA GlobalPay Visa Virtual Card through the M-PESA App automatically entered the draw for a chance to win a trip to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“I am very excited to win a trip to Paris to cheer and support Team Kenya live. This is a rare opportunity due to my first Olympics attendance. It is also the first gift I have ever received from any promotion, so I want to thank Safaricom and Visa immensely. I am a big fan of athletics, and I hope this trip will provide my spouse and I, who will be travelling together, with an exemplary and unforgettable experience as we watch our athletes live on the biggest stage in the world,” said Abdinasir Barre. 

Beyond giving customers an opportunity to experience the 2024 Olympic games firsthand in Paris, Safaricom is also supporting Team Kenya, committing KES 30 million in cash and kind. This includes travel insurance for athletes, air time, and data bundles to support Team Kenya. Additionally, Safaricom offered financial literacy workshops for athletes during their camps and workshop sessions.

“We are excited for the four winners who will be traveling to Paris for the Olympic Games on a fully catered trip thanks to our partnership with Visa.” We believe in the power of sports to inspire and unite people, and we are honoured to offer Kenyans the opportunity to support their favourite athletes in person. This sponsorship also reflects our commitment to supporting our athletes by empowering them with technological and financial tools. They have worked hard to prepare for the Olympics, and this is our way of ensuring that they are well prepared beyond the stadium, thanks to the financial literacy workshops,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom.