By Citi celebrated its 12th annual Global Community Day recently, as more than 1,600 Citi volunteers in Aba, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Warri engaged in service activities in their local communities.
In the days leading up to and including Global Community Day, Citi colleagues, alumni, clients, family and friends volunteered their time, working on 1,500 service projects across the world ranging from urban revitalisation to mentorship and job skills training, literacy and education, environmental conservation and disaster relief.
Global Community Day offers a wide range of service opportunities to work alongside communities and non-profit partners to help improve our cities and neighbourhoods. For the second year, Citi volunteers in the Middle East and Africa participated in efforts that support the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative. Volunteers empowered youth through an educational drive, which aimed to reduce educational inequality and lower the barriers that youth face when they enter the work force.
In Nigeria, volunteers lead sporting activities, financial literacy and entrepreneurship workshops, and donated supplies to Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted, Down syndrome Foundation Nigeria (DSFN), SOS Children’s Village, Bethesda Child Support Agency (Bethesda), OLG Health Foundation & Autism center, Saint Anne’s Orphanage Effurun, Ngwa High School, Abayi, Green Pasture and Home Initiative and Port Harcourt Children’s Home.
According to Saint Anne’s Orphanage, “On behalf of the management and staff of Saint Anne’s Orphanage Effurun in Uwvie local government area of Delta State, we wish to appreciate your company for the assistance you rendered to our orphanage…We count on your continued support to help create a better future for the children”
Various community partners joined the volunteer efforts globally and, in Nigeria, IHS Nigeria, collaborated with Citi for the second year in a row at the Lagos event. IHS Nigeria is the Nigerian subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited, the largest mobile telecommunications infrastructure provider by tower count in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and donated school supplies to children affiliated with various Nigerian charities, including but not limited to books, math sets, pens and carrier bags.
IHS Co-founder and IHS Nigeria CEO Mohamad Darwish said “This is a fantastic initiative which we’re thrilled to have been able to support along with the Citi team once again. We hope the school supplies provided to the young men and women will go a long way in helping them achieve their academic goals. IHS’ approach to corporate social responsibility underpins the way in which we do business and our programs focus on business ethics and governance, people, environment and green energy, and education and empowerment, for the enhancement of our local communities and employees.”
Also collaborating for the second year in a row were Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) alumni and Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN).
“Bloomberg and Citi share a deep commitment to supporting the communities where we live and work. Our Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa alumni in Lagos and Nairobi are part of our Bloomberg family where giving back is an integral part of our culture. Citi is an important global partner and every year, our employees are both proud and excited to join the many thousands of Citi volunteers who are working to make a positive difference in their local communities,” said Erana Stennett, Head of Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, a Pan-African program to advance business journalism.
Activities included a Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship discussion. Panelists were Mrs. Simi Nwogugu Executive Director of JAN and Dr. Uju Rapu a medical doctor and Founder of Bel Fiore; a medical aesthetic service specialised in non-surgical, minimally invasive cosmetic and anti-ageing procedures.
By Isaiah Erhiawarien
