Fidelity Bank Plc has partnered a Coalition of Sickle Cell Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the country to commemorate the 2018 World Sickle Cell Day.
This years’ celebration is the ninth to be marked since the UN General Assembly declared World Sickle Cell Day in 2008.
Speaking at the press briefing in Lagos, Head, Human Resources Recruitment/CSR and Sustainability, Fidelity Bank, Chris Nnakwe, explained that e-Banking Division of the bank worked with the Coalition of Sickle Cell NGOs in Nigeria to undertake its first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative through the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme, to be powered by Fidelity (QR) mVisa.
Nnakwe lamented that out of about 150,000 children born with sickle cell disorder annually in Nigeria, 75 per cent of them do not live to see their fifth birthday, adding that the situation calls for more collaboration for awareness and enlightenment.
He explained that the bank’s Helping Hands initiative was more than building structures but creating awareness to promote healthy living among Nigerians.
“We intend to be part of this journey of reducing the number of people living with sickle cell through awareness and education. We want to make it an annual event and every year we will see how to get involved as part of our contribution for healthy living in the country”, Nnakwe assured.
Commenting, the Chairperson of the Coalition, Toyin Adeola, commended Fidelity Bank for the partnership and urged other corporate entities in the country to emulate the bank’s kind gesture of the bank.
Adeola pointed out that the Coalition of the NGOs as a joint activity is organizing, the ‘Red Umbrella Walk’ to create awareness about Sickle Cell Day at the community level.
