Polaris Bank and one of its strategic CSR partners, Evolve Trust Charity, went to Gbaja Girls (Junior and Senior) High School, Surulere, Lagos State, on Wednesday, February 5, in continuation of its presentation of school essentials programme to selected public school students in Nigeria.
The partnership, which was birthed in 2021 and primarily focuses on empowering the girl-child and their male counterparts, has reached over 15,000 students across 35 public schools in nine states.
The states include Lagos, Kano, Kogi, Imo and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Among other things, the initiative includes empowering young learners with brain training techniques and emotional intelligence education alongside making and distributing user-sized school essentials (bags, uniforms, sandals, books, and pens).
The initiative also captures training of teachers in the respective schools, all sponsored by the bank.
Speaking at the presentation, the Bank’s Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Mrs. Abimbola Ozomah, emphasised that the bank, being a signatory to United Nations’ (UN) Principles for Responsible Banking, aligns its practices and strategies with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement, thus igniting its sustained interests in the training of the girl-child.
According to data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), there are about 10.5 million out of school children in Nigeria, with six million of them being girls.
“This event is not just about distributing educational materials but empowering girls for bigger roles because educated girls grow into informed women.
“At Polaris Bank, we are committed to bridging the educational gap, empowering girls and building sustainability aligning with global framework,” she said.
The Executive Director further charged the students to embrace the opportunities inherent in education, while stating that the Bank would stop at nothing to support them.
“Education is most powerful tool at your disposal, and you have to utilize it to the maximum.
“Polaris Bank will not relent in supporting this laudable mission to empower girls who will drive the needed change to better our country and world.
“This intervention is in line with the Bank’s ongoing sustainability efforts aimed at reducing out-of-school children population and increasing access to quality education, especially for the girl-child, and we urge you all to take full advantage,” Ozoma said.
Also speaking, the Programme Manager at Evolve Charity Trust, Ejeh Godwin, thanked Polaris Bank for keying into the Trust’s mission of supporting the girl-child nationwide.
Godwin noted that while the initiative commenced in 2020, Polaris Bank partnered with the charity organisation in 2021, and the Bank has never for once backed out since then.
“I want to specially appreciate Polaris Bank for their tremendous support since 2021 that the partnership started. We couldn’t have done this alone nor come this far without their support.
“We have expanded our reach and hope to even bring more schools in other states on board this year, all thanks to Polaris Bank,” Ejeh said.
In her remarks, the Principal, Gbaja Girls Junior High School, Mrs Adetoun Iyabo Dabiri, also appreciated Polaris Bank for including the school in the intervention programme.
“I want to specially thank Polaris Bank on behalf of staff and students for finding us worthy of benefitting from this laudable programme.
“You can feel the energy in the hall, as the students are happy. So are the staff. This has boosted our morale, and we are incredibly happy about it,” the Principal enthused.
One of the beneficiaries and Assistant Senior Girl of the school, Bankole Oreofeoluwa Emmanuella, thanked the Bank for the symbolic gesture, promising to put the items into good use.
