- First Bank delivers healthcare facilities to less privileged at the Ijeododo Community of Ojo Local Government Area
- The project is one of the many ways that FirstBank reiterates its commitment and support for the Lagos State Government’s “One Community at a Time (OCAAT)” initiative
- The healthier communities become, the wealthier they will be
During its almost 130 years of healthy bottom line and counting, First Bank of Nigeria has also persisted in its triple bottom line.
The bank’s corporate social responsibility, in the opinion of its many beneficiaries, has been right-targeted and impactful. And its recent exercise, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, has been no less impactful and suitable, as the need for a healthcare facility in the more than 2,000 population of the less privileged Ijeododo Community, Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos State was met.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Primary Healthcare Centre, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, CEO, of FirstBank Group, stated,
- “About 22 months ago, we were honoured to lay the foundation for a first-of-its-kind modern Primary Healthcare facility in the history of the Ijeododo Community. I congratulate His Excellency, Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his amazing government on the successful and timely execution of the project.”
He said the project is one of the many ways that FirstBank reiterates its commitment and support for the Lagos State Government’s “One Community at a Time (OCAAT)” initiative which has continued to gain wide acclaim globally.
Support for the OCAAT Initiative
He cited that the OCAAT initiative, which is an integrated, inter-sectoral and community-based programme, aimed at achieving sustainable improvements in the lives of people across Lagos State aligns with the tenets of FirstBank’s Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) approach.
Adeduntan noted that FirstBank, its CSR approach is three-pronged: Citizenship, Stakeholder Management, and Impact Management. He said while the Citizenship and Stakeholder Management arms involve considering the needs of stakeholders when making decisions, Impact Management focuses on minimizing its negative impact and increasing its positive impact on society.
- “As a bank, the consciousness of maximizing positive impact in the society largely inspires our community development initiatives which are anchored on three pillars: Strategic Education, Health and Welfare.
- “As a highly empathetic brand, we are resolute in the demonstration of our commitment to the health and welfare of the people in our immediate and distant communities,” he said.
He stated that it was heart-warming to know that beginning from the commissioning date, residents of this community will no longer have to travel long distances to access a fundamental amenity such as healthcare.
- “This reality in itself is one of the biggest inspirations behind our partnership with the Lagos State Government to execute this project and I congratulate everyone for being a part of the life-changing history being made today.
The healthier, the wealthier
- “Because we are confident that as the Ijeododo community becomes healthier, it will become wealthier, I implore every member of the community to take advantage of the banking services provided through our ever-growing network of branches and FirstBank agents. The USSD (*894#) and Firstmonie wallet banking options will provide you with easy and convenient ways of managing your financial transactions.
- “Beyond subscribing to our services, you can create your financial independence by registering to become one of our over 200,000 agents in Nigeria driving financial inclusion by bridging the gap between the banked and underbanked members of the larger communities,” he added.
While Ijeododo was a laudable project, corporate social responsibility is a tradition at First Bank.
For a brief, recent flashback, during the heat of the lockdown in Lagos State, Ogun State and the FCT, occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, many Nigerians lapsed into dire straits. During that time, and long before then, the First Bank of Nigeria stepped in to assuage people’s pains and make life in communities better.
FirstBank’s many CSR programs
For example, during the heat of the lockdown, which brought with it the dread of impending mass fatality, FirstBank donated the sum of N1bn towards the joint effort by the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to rapidly expand health facilities, especially testing, isolation, treatment and the provision of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities pivotal to controlling the spread and importantly, treating individuals diagnosed with COVID- 19.
That was in addition to the bank’s drive to move one million children to e-learning, together with an early partner, Roducate, as recommended by the Ministry of Education, Lagos State
During the period, efforts by the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu to deliver quality learning to pupils across public schools in Lagos State got a boost as the state government took delivery of 20,000 digital devices donated by First Bank to aid e-learning.
Adeduntan said the 20,000 tools donated in the first tranche of the supply was an indication of the bank’s commitment towards supporting the government’s education vision. He promised the bank would ramp up the number of the devices in the coming months.
The bank has several other CSR initiatives to empower women, the youth and communities at large. For example, FirstGem is a financial solution dedicated to empowering women in personal wealth creation and financial independence.
FirstGem has continued to witness growth in volumes, customer acquisition and beneficiaries. Furthermore, FirstGem has won both local and international recognition, and it is considered the market leader in Nigeria for dedicated gender-based products.
Thousands of people have benefited from the product through various programmes organized or sponsored by the bank.
There is also a programme for youth empowerment. The Youth Empowerment Series is one of FirstBank’s initiatives to promote entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth, which constitute about 35% of the Bank’s customer base.
The annual event commenced in 2017, to reposition the brand in the minds of the Nigerian youth while establishing a deeper relationship.
The 2019 edition of the Youth Empowerment Series (YES) 3.0 focused on entrepreneurship, targeting four niche areas: music, fashion, media and photography.
In 2019 also, through the First Trader Solution facility, FirstBank played a vital role in supporting the business practices of traders nationwide. In addition, FirstBank’s FirstEdu loan supported various schools in bridging the ‘no-income’ gap between school terms and encouraged asset acquisition.
To further demonstrate commitment to the growth of SMEs, FirstBank has promised that loan facilities will be structured to support health finance, the fashion industry and the local government in 2020 and beyond.
FutureFirst, another of the bank’s empowerment initiatives, promotes financial literacy, career counselling and entrepreneurship among young people.
To launch FutureFirst, the Group partnered with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young people in entrepreneurial development. JAN’s program aligns with the vision of FutureFirst and based on the curriculum, students in different locations across the country have benefited.
Through the partnership with JAN, senior secondary school students are provided with practical business experience under three pillars: financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship.
Across the country, over 85,000 secondary school students have benefited from FutureFirst. The program enlisted staff volunteers across the Group, with employees volunteering over 40,000 hours. In 2019, the Group took part in January’s 20th-anniversary celebration of empowering the youth in entrepreneurial development.
FutureFirst offers an experiential aspect to the students’ business and economics studies. It provides insight into how businesses operate, encourages critical thinking, promotes speaking and leadership skills, highlights the rewards of a free enterprise system and provides guidance in career opportunities and instils workforce readiness skills.
FirstBank has also organized financial literacy training on bookkeeping and accountability as well as business management for traders and tailors.
Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness (SPARK)
SPARK activities, another facet of the bank’s CSR programs include visits to orphanages, homes for the less privileged and internally displaced persons camps as well as providing vision screening and affordable eyeglasses for women with low incomes.
Through SPARK, the bank has partnered with 22 charity homes and foundations, including the Down Syndrome Foundation, Sickle Cell Foundation, National Association of the Blind, Nigeria Red Cross Society, the Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted, the International Women’s Society and the UN Global Compact.
SPARK is a value-based initiative designed to create awareness of the need to collectively perform acts of random kindness. The initiative goes beyond simply meeting the material needs of people who are unable to support themselves to encourage compassion, empathy and affection. It encompasses employee giving and volunteering.
The Employee Giving and Volunteering program encourages employees to give back to the community. The program is structured around two elements:
Giving: This involves employees donating material resources, including cash, to the less privileged. This initiative is mainly driven through crowdfunding, where large numbers of people make small contributions.
Volunteering: This involves employees donating their time and skills to support philanthropic activities. It provides a platform to develop new skills and partner with people within and outside the bank towards expanding their horizons.
All volunteering activities align with the core elements of the CSR strategy, which are education, health and welfare, economic empowerment and the environment.
The initiative is implemented through partners such as LEAP Africa, the Down Syndrome Foundation, Junior Achievement Nigeria and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation.
In 2019, staff volunteers participated in Global Money Week, World Savings Day and the Youth Empowerment Series.
