As families across the globe celebrated Father’s Day on Sunday, June 15, 2025, Shell Club transformed the occasion into something deeply personal for several of its most loyal customers, widowed fathers whose stories of resilience embody the true spirit of paternal dedication.
The initiative leveraged Shell Club’s extensive network across Kenya, with station attendants and digital customers identifying customers whose stories embody the Father’s Day spirit of sacrifice and love. This approach ensured that the global celebration of fatherhood included voices from Kenya’s diverse communities. Unlike traditional Father’s Day promotions that encourage spending, Shell Club’s approach aims to enhance its customers’ lives by providing business support, educational assistance, and household help to fathers who need it most.
Virginia Njuho Vivo Energy Kenya Loyalty Manager said “ Shell Club wishes all the fathers, grandfathers, mentors and father figures a happy Father’s Day. This year for Father’s Day we focused on the widowers because they serve a critical role. They are the fathers and they are the mothers of the children. Just to appreciate them and to tell them thank you for the much that they do for the children. We were able to pay for them rent, we were able to pay for them school fees and other bills.”
23-year-old John Maina has been a Shell Club member for two years, regularly visiting filling stations while building his small business. What station attendants didn’t initially know was the weight Maina carries. After losing his mother, he became the primary caregiver for his two younger brothers at an age when most of his peers are focused on personal ambitions. Shell Club provided financial assistance for his business venture, recognizing his dual role as both an entrepreneur and guardian.
Another beneficiary, John Munene, represents a different but equally challenging path to single fatherhood. A loyal Shell customer for several years, his decade-long marriage ended in tragedy, leaving him to navigate raising three children, including a teenage daughter, without maternal guidance. Shell Club covered school fees for his three children and arranged a family vacation, acknowledging that Father’s Day celebrations should include creating positive memories amid difficult circumstances.
David Githinji’s poignant story came with the weight of unimaginable loss. Having arrived at a hospital expecting to welcome his wife and newborn home, unfortunately he lost both. Now raising two surviving children while processing grief, Shell Club has assisted him with rent payments and household supplies, providing practical support that extends beyond traditional Father’s Day gifts.
The three fathers have become ambassadors for a different kind of Father’s Day celebration, one that recognizes struggle, resilience, and the quiet heroism of everyday parenting. Their stories challenge conventional narratives about both corporate loyalty programs and Father’s Day celebrations.
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