One of the most vibrant financial institutions in Nigeria, Standard Chartered Bank (Nig) Limited has launched what it called ‘Safe Return to School Initiative’.
The initiative is aimed at identifying health and hygiene needs in some public schools where the bank currently runs life development intervention programmes including ‘Goal for Young Girls’.
Commenting on the launch of the second edition, the Head Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Nigeria, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Dayo Aderugbo, said, “It is with great pleasure that we launch the Safe Return to School Initiative today.
“We are investing over N38,000,000 in hygiene packs, face mask, sanitisers, health awareness communications including safe distancing floor markers and hand wash points across some of the various locations where we currently run the Goal program.
“For over 10 years, the Goal programme in Nigeria has combined sports with life, vocational and financial skills training to empower girls with the resources they need to be integral economic leaders in their families and communities.
“We are optimistic about the impact this initiative will have in ensuring less exposures of the COVID19 virus to the students, their teachers and by extension their families especially those in the rural communities.
“This initiative builds on the Bank’s track record of supporting adolescent girls, employable youths and women through various financing and capacity building initiative and serves as one of the ways we remain here for good in our communities.”
The Executive Secretary of Youth Empowerment Foundation, Iwalola Akin-Jimoh, added, “Enhancing positive sustained behaviour change right down to the community level is the key to winning the fight against COVID19.
“A safe return to school can only be guaranteed when all recommended protocols by the NCDC are adhered to. The SRTSI being funded by Standard Chartered is a holistic grassroots approach and will impact generations of boys and girls for a very long time.
“The initiative is being managed by the Youth Empowerment Foundation the Bank’s strategic implementation partner of the Goal Project and will run in 37 schools across the country including Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”
Credit: punchng.com
