KUWAIT: Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, recognized the great efforts exerted by the Ministry of Interior's frontliners at traffic checkpoints by visiting them on the field as a sign of gratitude for their great efforts in protecting the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative came to complement the company's ongoing efforts since the beginning of the crisis in supporting the various government entities, including the ministries of Health, Interior, and others, in combating the spread of this pandemic. Zain was extremely keen on reflecting its national commitment towards the nation during this crisis early on by serving the needs of government entities that work tirelessly to protect everyone's health and safety.

Zain's team visited one of the traffic checkpoints with the presence of MOI Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic and Operations Affairs Major-General Jamal Al-Sayegh and a number of MOI officials. The company presented a number of MOI frontliners with a number of electronic devices as a sign of gratitude for their great efforts during this crisis, especially that they face extreme heat and the danger of infection every day to save lives and ensure everyone's safety.

As part of its past and ongoing initiatives during this crisis, Zain collaborated with the Ministry of Health to launch the 'Shlonik' app, which coincided with the inauguration of the government's plan to evacuate citizens stranded abroad. The app was developed by Zain's team in joint collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT).

Zain's development of the app came as an initiative on the company's part to support the country's efforts in fighting the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The company also changed its network's name to 'Shlonik' to remind everyone of the importance of downloading the app and help the nation's efforts in stopping the spread of this disease.

40,000 meals
Zain also offered over 40,000 meals in collaboration with the Kuwait Food Bank, where a large number of the meals was distributed during the week dedicated by the Ministry of Health at Kuwait International Fairgrounds in Mishref to conduct tests for residents who recently entered the country. The meals were a contribution by the company to ease the long waiting times while waiting in line. Many meals were also being continuously distributed at Kuwait International Airport's gates dedicated for residents who are returning to their home countries because of this crisis.

Zain also offered many smartphone charging stations at Kuwait International Airport to serve Kuwaiti citizens who were returning home as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' evacuation plan to bring Kuwaitis back from all over the world during this crisis. This contribution aimed at facilitating communication between returning Kuwaitis and their families as soon as they arrived at Kuwait. Zain also continuously distributed a large number of meals to them in collaboration with the Kuwait Food Bank and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Since the beginning of the crisis, Zain launched a social media campaign entitled "This is Your Time" to send positive messages to the public about the importance of being a responsible citizen in this time of crisis, not listen to rumors nor spread them, take part in volunteer efforts, commit to staying at home, as well as abide by the authorities' directives.

In March, Zain also collaborated with the Ministry of Health to offer its customers free calls to any of MOH's hotlines, enabling them to inquire about any health or medical information related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) directly from the ministry's specialized team while ensuring taking the correct information from the official and certified sources.

Free SMS
As part of its continuous collaboration with the various ministries, Zain also provided the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior with free bulk SMS messages to send medical and awareness content to the community during this period. In addition, the company sent a number of awareness messages in collaboration with MOH's team through its official social media channels.

Zain also broadcasted official MOH awareness videos on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in seven languages: Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Farsi, Filipino, Bengali, and Santhali. In March, Zain changed its network's name to STAY HOME in line with the directives of the Council of Ministers to remind its customers to commit to staying at home as much as possible and contribute to ending this pandemic.