HFC, Athletics Kenya Partner to Provide Athletes with Affordable Homes

HFC and Athletics Kenya (AK) have established a partnership to make housing more affordable for thousands of Kenyan athletes.

In the partnership, HFC will offer home purchase financing to professional athletes and other AK members at the Kenya Mortgage Refinancing Company’s (KMRC) incentive rates.

The athletes will also receive training in effective financial planning and the significance of making plans for affordably priced homeownership while still pursuing their careers.

Additionally, through a combined application to the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, the cooperation will promote connections to critical affordable housing developers and bulk allocation of government affordable housing projects.

Robert Kibaara, CEO of HF Group, characterized the long-standing alliance as strategic and important to the business’s goal of enhancing lives.

“As a bank, we are committed to strategic partnerships that enrich lives and believe that through this partnership, we will empower our gallant sportsmen and women to access credit and own their homes,” Kibaara said.

He added that the cooperation serves as an example of what Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) can accomplish in terms of raising Kenyans’ living conditions.

“Many Kenyans rely on financing for home purchase and as a bank, we are well-equipped to help them navigate this journey by providing relevant home ownership savings plans and end-buyer financing options,” he added.

It is another step toward guaranteeing the future of Kenyan athletes long after they hang up their boots, according to AK President Jack Tuwei, who praised the proposal as a long-needed effort.

“Many times, we have heard and read of stories of sportsmen and women living in abject poverty despite bringing glory to the country. Many of them are struggling to pay rent or find that they are incurring a lot of expenses towards the same. With this new partnership, as an athlete, you are assured that you will always have a roof over your head,” Tuwei said.

Additionally, he urged as many Kenyan sportsmen as possible to join the new cooperation and spend their prize money to purchase affordable homes.

“This is a partnership that has been mooted and executed with the best interests of athletes in mind,” he said.

“As an athlete, one of the best ways to reward yourself for all the hard work on the track, field, road, or cross country to invest in a palatial home where you will always rest easy and reflect on your glory days in peace.”