31 August 2021 - - Swiss healthcare company Roche (OTC: RHHBY) and the Kolisi Foundation have launched a children's book, Keto and Zuri Learn about COVID-19, meant to help parents and caregivers across Africa explain COVID-19 to children by sharing scientific facts in age-appropriate language, the principals said.

The book is available to download for free on both the Kolisi Foundation and Roche's websites, and a limited run of free printed copies will be distributed throughout Africa in seven languages.

In South Africa, Transnet, a 25-year partner of Roche, will be handing out a limited printed supply of the books through the Phelophepa trains.

These two trains, of which Roche is the main external sponsor, are free, mobile healthcare clinics that are now dedicated to COVID-19 screening, testing and awareness for people living in rural communities.

The One by One Target Covid Campaign is also a partner of Keto and Zuri Learn about COVID-19. The Campaign is proudly supporting the distribution of the new children's book in Uganda, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

To help spread further awareness, they announced the creation of the book to their AfricaCovidChampions, who they brought together in an effort to spread reliable information about COVID-19.

AfricaCovidChampions is a new initiative that includes some of the most prominent African celebrities, media personalities, journalists, and influencers from the sports, entertainment, business, cultural and faith communities.

Among many others, these prominent figures include Heritier Wanabe (Musician), Simon Mwewa Lane (TV Show Host), Joseph Kusaga (Media Owner), Jeff Koinange (Journalist/Talk Show Host) and Gift Ali (Ugandan Football player / Sports Personality).

These influencers have committed to serve as powerful public health advocates and will help the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reach people with the essential information needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roche is in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company, with differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system.

Roche is also in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.

The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2020 employed more than 100,000 people worldwide. In 2020, Roche invested CHF 12.2 bn in R and D and posted sales of CHF 58.3bn.

Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan.