Half a million reusable masks, 123 tonnes of soap and 1,750 hand-washing stations. These numbers are music to the ears of business consultant James Irungu Mwangi - telling the story of the efforts he led to protect Kenyan slum-dwellers from Covid-19.

They also show how socially minded businesses can thrive in times of crisis, said Mwangi, who for years has urged African firms to look beyond profit and tackle issues like poverty and climate change by working with governments and non-profits...