Fidelity Bank supports children with special learning needs

By Chinwendu Obienyi

Fidelity Bank has attributed its decision to execute Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects across the country to its belief that its success  has a nexus to the wellbeing of its host communities.

This was made known recently by the head of the bank’s Internal Control Division, Mr. Daniel Okorie at St. Vincent de Paul/The Child Special School, Port Harcourt, Rivers state where 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.

Addressing guests comprising students and administrators at the school, representatives of the school education board, staff of Fidelity Bank and journalists at the event, 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 the normal education system.

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, lauded the school authority for the commendable work they are doing in nurturing the children and said Fidelity Bank would continue to partner with them.

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.