FirstBank restates commitment to children with special needs

FirstBank Dr. Adeduntan at Wesley School

First Bank of Nigeria Limited has re-emphasised 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.

Chief executive officer of FirstBank, Adesola Adeduntan, made the pledge at the weekend when he led a team of FirstBank volunteers on a visit to Wesley School for the Hearing Impaired, Surulere, Lagos.

According to a statement on Wednesday, the bank said the visit was part of its 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.

“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,” he said.

Adedutan encouraged the pupils of the school to seize every opportunity availed them to reach great heights.

The visit was also taken to 23 other charity homes/institutes, including camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).

FirstBank’s Executive Director, Public Sector, Abdullahi Ibrahim, with other volunteers visited the School of the blind, Jabi, Abuja.

The bank’s group head of 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.