Access Bank Embarks on a Three-fold CSR Project

Access Bank Embarks on a Three-fold CSR Project

Ugo Aliogo

Access Bank Plc has embarked on a three-fold corporate social responsibility (CSR) project in the south-west (Lagos), south-east (Port-Harcourt) and northern part of the country (Abuja).

Speaking at the CSR project forum in Lagos, the bank’s Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Commercial Banking Division, Susan Onwuegbuzie, said the focus of the event was aimed at developing the mindset of the children who are the future leaders and improving the level of literacy in communities where the bank operates.

According to her, over 10 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 years are out of school in Nigeria.

She said that it was imperative to invest in the development of the pupils because of the potential and prospect they hold for the country.

Onwuegbuzie said in Lagos, the bank sponsored the enrollment of 50 children from the Makoko Community in Adekunle Primary School Makoko, Lagos.

She said the sponsorship covered the children enrollment fees, school uniforms, shoes, books, writing materials and all other requirements need to commence formal education.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, one of the Group Heads Commercial Banking Division, Access Bank, Mr. Lookman Martins, who was represented by a Zonal Head, Mr. Adeboye Ayewamide said the project was laudable as it gives children an opportunity for learning which would enable them to realize their full potentials.

Martins revealed that the project was done in partnership with Slum2school an organisation transforming the society by empowering less privileged children in slums, and remote communities with quality education, entrepreneurial skills, and psychosocial support, “to enable them to realise their full potential and become social reformers.”

According to Onwuegbuzie, “We will be monitoring the education of the children, receiving quarterly updates from Slum2school. We will also visit the school quarterly; having mentoring sessions to speak to the mindset of the children and make them have a stronger belief in themselves and greater hope for tomorrow.

“We hope that in future that these children become great members of the society and give back to the communities where they came from.

“This initiative shows that we are more than just a financial institution, we are a bank that genuinely cares about people and their development. This is of paramount significance to us. In addition to the motivation session, the children were trained on vocational skills such as soap, perfume and tie and dye making. We also identified and sponsored corrective surgeries for two disabled children from the Compassion Centre in Port Harcourt.

“In Abuja, the Division sponsored some various items for the Zamarr Institute; a Non-governmental organization that caters for children and adolescents with Autism, Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Intellectual and learning disabilities as well as other Developmental challenges.

“The project further reemphasises our Slogan: ‘More than Banking’ as we not only provide Banking services, we also engage in positively impacting the lives of children and adults in our community.”

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