FBNBank has donated GH¢50,000 to Making Learning Happen (MLH), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) seeking to raise funds for the provision of desks and chairs for 4,000 deprived public primary schools across the country.
An exhibition boxing event, themed ‘Fight for Education’, took place last Saturday at the Hannah Hathramani Hall of the Accra Sports Stadium – featuring 57-year old Executive Director of MLH, Abubakar Sulemana, taking on Haruna ‘Thunder’ Mohammed, an unbeaten 27-year old professional boxer, in the main event.
Making Learning Happen’s agenda primarily aims to improve the classroom experience of deprived first-cycle schoolchildren, and aligns with FBNBank’s corporate responsibility and sustainability pillar of education that seeks to support improvement in the sector; leading to outcomes which include improved facilities and richer learning experiences. Two million schoolchildren are expected to benefit from Making Learning Happen’s initiative.
Prior to the bout, Managing Diretor-FBNBank Mr. Victor Yaw Asante presented a cheque to Abubakar Sulemana, who took on unbeaten professional boxing star Haruna Mohammed in a heavyweight contest. In his remarks Mr. Asante said: “First of all, I want to congratulate Sulemana for his commitment to making this happen, including training over a year to get in shape for this bout. As a bank, we firmly believe in the importance of education and providing a conducive learning environment for all.
“We at FBNBank have decided to step forward and lend our support to Making Learning Happen’s mission of improving education. Education is the foundation upon which individuals build their lives and pursue their dreams. By providing chairs to create a comfortable and conducive environment for pupils, we are providing the right infrastructure that will greatly enhance the learning experience and motivate school children to excel.”
FBNBank has over the years engaged in activities like supporting orphanages, sponsoring the education of young persons, commiting to the fight against polio and childhood cancer, helping young people to define clear career paths, supporting the development of youth footballing talent, as well as supporting the construction of medical facilities and so on.
Speaking after the exhibition boxing match, Sulemana Abubakar, Executive Director of Making Learning Happen said: “I am grateful to FBNBank for their, support and I thank you all for coming to support this event. I decided on having an exhibition boxing bout to raise funds to support education in deprived communities of the country, and not any other sport like football or golf. I like watching boxing and I like the discipline of boxers. It feels great to have a 57-year old fight an undefeated 26-year old heavyweight boxer of Ghana in an engaging five-round exhibition bout and take a few punches in order to raise money for education. I would like to assure you that all funds donated will be used to build desks for the deprived schools”.
Making Learning Happen’s boxing night, an engaging approach to raising awareness and funds for their project, successfully gave the spectators a lot to cheer about with the number of exciting undercard bouts which took place ahead of Mr. Abubakar’s fight. Dubbed ‘A Fight for Education’, there were as many as 7 undercard bouts with the boxers giving their best as their contribution to helping achieve the ultimate aim of raising funds for desks and chairs for deprived schools.
FBNBank has in its 27 years of operating in Ghana remained focused on putting its customers and communities first. This, it has sought to do through the rich value and excellence of what the bank contributes to the relationship with its stakeholders as a whole, particularly the customers. FBNBank Ghana is a member of the First Bank of Nigeria Limited Group, which is renowned for its great customer service and general stakeholder engagement garnered over its 129 years of operation. FBNBank Ghana has 24 branches and 4 service points with over 400 staff, and a network of agents across the country. FBNBank offers universal banking services to individuals and businesses in Ghana.