FirstBank restates commitment to children with special needs

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial institution, has reiterated its commitment to impact the lives of the less privileged and children living with disabilities across the country and in its host communities across the world.

The Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, made this pledge at the weekend (Saturday, 6 July) when he led a team of FirstBank volunteers on a visit to Wesley School for the Hearing Impaired, Surulere, Lagos in the spirit of the Bank’s commitment to encouraging people to Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness (SPARK). SPARK, a values-based initiative is one of the key activities of the annual FirstBank’s Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) Week.

Speaking to the pupils and teachers of the school, Adeduntan said the visit was aimed at demonstrating kindness, as it is one of FirstBank’s brand values that positively affects quality of life.

He said, “it is our belief that if all of us can show acts of kindness to people around us, we will make the world we live in a much better place for everyone. Our decision to come here today is to show appreciation to management for shouldering the enormous responsibility of taking care of these children with special needs. This visit is also to assure the children who are schooling here that, as the popular saying goes, you will not walk alone.”

Speaking further, Adedutan encouraged the pupils of the school to seize every opportunity availed them to reach their maximum heights possible, stressing that as an institution, FirstBank, woven into the fabric of the society will always be there to provide them the support they require within its available means and resources.

Asides the visit to Wesley School, 23 other charity homes/institutes, including camps of Internally Displaced People (IDP) were visited by FirstBank staff volunteers, led by senior members of staff. The Bank’s Executive Director, Public Sector, Abdullahi Ibrahim with other volunteer staff visited the School of the blind, Jabi, Abuja while its Group Head, Corporate Banking, Remi Ajose- Adeogun visited the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, Fagba, Lagos. Other locations visited by the Bank include Madinatu and Almiskin IDP Camp, Maiduguri, amongst others. Food supplies., provisions, toiletries and educational materials were delivered to all the visited homes.

The 2019 FirstBank’s CR&S Week was held from 1 – 6 July across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the Bank’s business locations in Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone, DR Congo and The United Kingdom.  The CR&S Week is a social impact initiative the Bank started two years ago, with its staff dedicating a whole week to impact lives of individuals living in its host communities.