Henkel Marks International Volunteering Day, Reaffirms Committment to CSR

Gilbert Ekugbe
Henkel Nigeria has joined the rest of the world to mark the international volunteering day with pupils of Ibadan Municipal Government (IMG).

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Henkel Nigeria, Mr. Rajat Kapur, said marking the day with the children is a continuation of its corporate social responsibility tradition where the employees of the company volunteer to uplift their surrounding communities in various ways.

The event comes off the back of the recent launch of its global scientific initiative, Forscherwelt or Researchers Worldwide – a first on the African continent.

Forscherwelt is an educational initiative designed by Henkel to introduce elementary school children to the fascinating world of science through specific learning objectives, further encouraging them to explore the world of science and make research fun.

Every year, Henkel uses the opportunity to encourage people from around the world to volunteer more in their local communities. International Volunteering Day was established by the United Nations in 1985 and promotes the idea of people uplifting their surrounding communities in various ways. This year, Henkel combined International Volunteering Day with International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

IMG caters for children with various special needs, and Henkel, along with one of its Brand Ambassadors, Akunna Okechukwu, Nigerian Idol Season 6 Second runner-up, used the occasion to make the pupils at the school elated, as well as to leave a lasting impression of love and kindness.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Education, Abiodun Abdulramah commended Henkel for celebrating this event with the children at IMG and that what Henkel is doing is a great thing for the state.

The Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran commended the company on remembering the children. Represented by Saheed Aliu, Deputy Director, School Services, he said this has shown that Henkel is a good corporate citizen of the state and the board is ready to support the company.

The Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Bernd von Münchow-Pohl, applauded Henkel Nigeria on the initiative.

He said, “As Germany’s official representative in Lagos with responsibilities for the southern part of Nigeria including Oyo State, I applaud the efforts of Henkel, one of my country’s best-known global players in the chemical industry, to demonstrate its commitment as an exemplary corporate citizen of Oyo State through its activities for the students of IMG School in Ibadan as Henkel’s International Volunteering Day.”