By Jemimah Wellington, JKNMedia Reporter
ADDRESSING critical social needs, the Alternative Bank Limited (AltBank) has joined forces with FoodBank and Sterling One Foundation to mobilize approximately N20million in support of hunger and educational initiatives.
This collective effort resonates with the theme of the African Union Summit 2024, “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century.”
Hassan Yusuf, Managing Director of AlTBank, unveiled this ambitious plan through a press release, highlighting the forthcoming AltWalk event as a pivotal fundraising platform.
Yusuf said: “Through this initiative, we aim to mobilize contributions from both internal and external stakeholders, reaffirming our commitment to education and social welfare.”
The fundraising campaign aims to secure N20 million, with the proceeds serving dual purposes: providing meals for underserved communities and orphanages through the Lagos FoodBank Initiative and delivering quality educational support via Sterline One Foundation.
He adds that this campaign targets families, individuals, businesses and organizations committed to ending hunger, improving education, fostering healthy living, and positively impacting larger society.
Yusuf also advised prospective donors to make their contributions via https://altbank.ng/walk/, noting that stakeholders’ participation and donations are poised to substantially impact critical social issues, including hunger reduction, enhanced education and healthier lifestyles.
He also emphasized AltBank’s dedication to empowering customers through innovative solutions in health, food security and education, positioning them for success in the 21st century.
He further stressed that education is central to the bank’s mission of bolstering the economy and enhancing financial well-being across society. He disclosed that AltBank, Nigeria’s most recent entrant into the financial service sector, made a grand entrance with simultaneous launches in Lagos, Abuja and Kano, marking the country’s first multi-city brand launch.
As the ethical banking arm of Sterling Financial Holdings, he said the AltBank originated in 2014 as Sterling Alternative Finance under Sterling Bank Plc’s non-interest banking license and has since evolved into a prominent player in Nigeria’s non-interest banking sector.
Speaking about the Lagos FoodBank, Yusuf explained that it is a non-profit, nutrition-focused initiative committed to fighting hunger, reducing food waster and addressing malnutrition through targeted programmes to improve the nutrition and food intake of vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, seniors and impoverished families.
On Sterling One Foundation, he said it is an initiative that catalyzes positive social impact across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy and motivated by the distinct challenges faced by millions of Africans, with the aim to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and capitalize on the demographic dividend, and improve the standard of living for undeserved communities.
Through stakeholders-driven intervention, it focuses on employability, sustainability, wealth creation, socioeconomic development, and national progress.