FirstBank has pledged its support for the 2017 Annual Awareness Week of the Down Syndrome Foundation, scheduled for Monday, October 23 – 27. The 2017 edition is not the first time the Bank is supporting this initiative, as the Bank has over the last 8 years partnered and participated in a number of initiatives of The Down Syndrome Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation that was founded 17 years ago.

The Bank’s partnership and support to the Down Syndrome Foundation is in furtherance of its Hope Rising Initiative designed to provide various forms of interventions for persons living with disabilities as well as create advocacy and public enlightenment for them.

The event themed; “Yes (I, YOU, WE) CAN… Make A Difference” is projected to feature activities such as press briefing, family fun fair & novelty match as well amongst others.

The Bank’s sponsorship of the 2017 event is in recognition of the giant strides achieved by the Down Syndrome Foundation over the years at helping children living with Down Syndrome to school, providing advocacy and empowerment for adults living with Down Syndrome, as well help children with congenital heart defect successfully undergo surgery through the SAVE-A-LIFE project of the foundation.

According to the Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications of FirstBank, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank’s partnership with the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria is in demonstration of the Bank’s consistent and unwavering support for the welfare of persons living with disabilities and in line with the Bank’s advocacy and public enlightenment for the Down Syndrome disorder. “FirstBank is committed to bridging the gap between children/adults with Down Syndrome and the rest of the society which perfectly mirrors FirstBank’s commitment regarding the disability, she added.

Only recently, FirstBank organised a week long Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability event themed ‘Promoting Kindness; Putting You First’, held in September 2017 and organised to reignite acts of kindness in our society. The event was designed towards re-orientating the society along the right values; encouraging the citizenry to intentionally create positive impact in their immediate environment.