FCMB Supports Nigerian Education

As part of its corporate citizenship and to support children in particular, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), constructed a library and donated books to the Bethesda Nursery and Primary School, Ijaiye Ojokoro, Lagos. The children and parents were said to be filled with joy when they saw the new library and all the books. As part of the bank's lined up activities to celebrate this year's Children's Day on Wednesday, the bank led by an Executive Director of the Bank, Mrs. Yemisi Edun hosted and entertained some less privileged children at its head office in Lagos.

Edun encouraged the children to take their education seriously while speaking to them on banking, entrepreneurship and leadership. Edun added: "Children are the bedrock of any society and must therefore be carefully and deliberately nurtured to grow into responsible citizens. They need all the pruning, care and affection to develop into whole adults that will be useful to themselves, their families and the society as a whole."

Also in celebration of Children's Day, FCMB has initiated a nationwide special art contest themed: 'I see my Future' for school children with the goal of nurturing and inspiring a purposeful future. The competition, which is for children between the ages of 6-12, according to the bank, is part of its efforts to encourage the culture of saving from an early age. All FCMB Kids Account holders who maintain a balance of N5, 000 from now till July 14, 2015 will have the chance to win prize monies.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FCMB, Mr. Ladi Balogun reiterated the need for the introduction of systems that would guarantee the well-being of Nigerian children and youth from cradle to adulthood. He stressed that as an integral segment of the society, the educational, socio-economic and other welfare needs of children must be accorded the deserved priority. "As part of its corporate citizenship and to support children in particular, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), continues to invest in children, make valuable donations, and provide scholarships, healthcare, educational infrastructures and other forms of assistance, with orphanages among others as platforms to consistently deliver these gestures," the bank said in a statement. In 2007 and as part of it CSR initiatives, FCMB had initiated an annual scholarship scheme for deserving secondary school pupils through the Bethesda Child Support Agency, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides free and qualitative education to orphans and vulnerable children in communities across Nigeria. The aim then was to support these children with an enabling environment to develop and acquire essential skills to facilitate their escape from the vicious cycle of poverty. Last year, FCMB held a session at the Community Secondary School, Aka Uffot, Uyo, where the Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Segun Odusanya taught the children financial literacy. The bank then also donated 30 computers to aid the children's learning in commemoration of the Children's Day.

This year, Government Girls' College Dala, Kano State is the beneficiary of the Bank's gesture in this respect. The Executive Director, Abuja and North, Mr. Adam Nuru was there earlier in March to educate the children on financial literacy. The renovation of the school assembly hall, being sponsored by the Bank, is currently on going.

To further promote financial literacy among children, First City Monument Bank Limited (FCMB) also initiated a schools' excursion programme where pupils of primary and secondary schools across the federation are received at its various branches and taught banking and entrepreneurship to prepare them for the future. The children have the opportunity to experience banking and are able to ask questions to enhance their financial knowledge.

Beyond the bank's institutional interventions, its staff members voluntarily contribute and participate in initiatives targeted at providing succour to children. Some of the past beneficiaries include Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care in Akoka, Lagos, Freedom Foundation, Sosaid Charity Homes, Compassionate Children's Home, Nkpogu in Rivers State amongst others. Particularly, the FCMB Women Network is well known for its active contribution in uplifting the educational standard of less privileged children in Nigeria. For this year's Children's Day, FCMB Women donated 350 brand new school packs including school bags, notebooks and other essential writing materials to less privileged children across the country. FCMB also recognises that play is essential for children's proper development. The Bank therefore actively participates in school fun-day events and has in the past graced schools such as the Lycee Francais Louis Pasteur De Lagos (i.e. the French school) in Victoria Island, Saint Saviours School Ikoyi, Corona School Ikoyi and Gbagada, Lagos to name a few.