Fidelity Bank PLC says its decision to execute Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects in the country was due to the bank’s philosophy that its corporate success is tightly connected to the success of its host communities.
The head of the bank’s Internal Control Division, Mr. Daniel Okorie,disclosed this at St. Vincent de Paul/The Child Special School, Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
The bank inaugurated a borehole, structural renovation and furnishing projects as well as donated several food and sanitary wares as part of its CSR initiatives.
Okorie said:“In the words of Timothy Pina, an American Author, ‘Philanthropy is not about money, it’s about feeling the pain of others and caring enough about their needs to help.’ It is in recognition of the needs of the school that we decided to provide a borehole, carry out renovation works and at this facility under our Fidelity Helping Hands Programme (FHHP).
With the FHHP, staff across our business locations identify projects that impact their immediate community and raise funds to execute them. The bank’s management thereafter matches this contribution with an equal amount and disburses it for the selected project. The project we are about to commission today has therefore been part-financed by staff of the bank working and living here in Rivers State.”
Operating under the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, the Child Special School currently caters to more than 60 students ranging between the ages 5 and 32years. The students are intellectually impaired by learning disabilities and unable to benefit from normal education system.
Speaking while handing over the renovated and donated items formally to the school authorities and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) chairman, the Regional Bank Head, Rivers/Bayelsa, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Evi Kanu, commended the school authority for the commendable work they are doing in nurturing the children.
She added that Fidelity Bank would continue to partner with the school authority for value addition.
Head of School, Rev Sister Nwamaka Muoneke, said the school caters to children challenged by cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, Downs Syndrome, dyslexia among other learning disabilities.
“The school provides educational, therapeutic and vocational support to the children, giving everyone the opportunity to excel in individual gifts, without comparing them with their normal peers. Others due to the severity of impairment do not make visible career progress, but however improve on daily living skills, self-care and interpersonal relationships. They are capable for learning with special attention from the skilled trainers”, she explained.
