Pacegate Limited, a leading manufacturer of UN Certified Steel Drums and distributor of Adipro Lubricant Additives and Polaris Bank have jointly collaborated to promote inclusive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all, as enshrined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.
The intervention is aimed at driving human capital development and combating climate change in Nigeria through provision of essential school supplies such as; school bags, pens, books, sandals, and uniforms to over 1,400 schoolgirls in secondary schools in Kano, Lagos and Imo States respectively.
According to the world’s leading research for Climate change solutions— Project Drawdown, the provision of education for the girl child is one of the solutions which has a positive, longlasting impact in addressing the effects of global warming. As knowledge broadens the horizon of the girl child, imparting the understanding of their boundless potential, extends beyond solely nurturing children. Education provides the much-needed safety net and resilience for girls and women alike to navigate their role in the world and make better life choices, which will positively impact climate change.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Umesh Amarnani, Managing Director of Pacegate Limited, thanked Polaris Bank for supporting the vision to help young schoolgirls across the country.
“As the world continues to deal with the effects of global warming, it is essential for us as an organisation to contribute our quota in moving the needle forward and this became vital for us to take a closer look at engaging the girl child as a pivotal part of tackling this issue,” he added.
Commenting at the event, while speaking to the reason for the Bank’s involvement in the project, the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Innocent Ike, disclosed that, “Polaris Bank will continue to increase her footprints across communities in Nigeria to ensure the promotion of inclusive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all while creating an enabling environment for growth of businesses. We welcome partnership opportunities with the core objective of delivering social value for the underserved in the country.
An excited beneficiary and student at the Opebi Junior Grammar School, Nwagu Happiness, while expressing her appreciation said that the provisions from Pacegate and Polaris Bank are well received. “We are very grateful for these bags and other gifts. The items will be of immense value to us. We promise to put them to good use,” Nwagu concluded.
Urging the beneficiaries on the need to make the donors proud, the Principal of the School, Mrs. Omolara Awosan who was represented by the Vice Principal (Admin), Mrs. Olutade Taiwo, said “the donations you receive today are complementing the efforts of your parents over your education and these investments should yield positive results from you. I implore you to take advantage of this kind gesture from Pacegate and Polaris Bank to become proud ambassadors of this school”
Earlier in the year, Polaris Bank took its Feminine Hygiene Campaign (an advocacy and capacity building initiative on menstrual hygiene for girls) to 9 secondary schools in three states across North Central & North East geopolitical zones of the country respectively. The feminine hygiene campaign was embarked on to address knowledge gap, correct unhealthy hygiene practices among secondary school girls; as well as identify the environmental school challenges affecting the effective management of feminine hygiene promotion in schools to enable girl-child education.
Additionally, Polaris Bank’s CSR footprints and interventions for women-focused and other societal issues in the nation include the implementation of specifically tailored initiatives such as provision of free breast cancer screening to over 20,000 women in partnerships with Care Organization Public Enlightenment (COPE), Nigeria’s leading breast cancer NGO. Equally involved in this strategic partnership is PEARL, Pacegate Energy and Resources Limited, an indigenous local content company that provides fluids and chemical solutions to various sectors of the Nigerian Economy.
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