Sustainability week: Dangote donates to old age home, physically challenged children

As part of activities marking the 2021 Global Sustainability Week, employees of the pan-African of Dangote Group, have donated food items and other hygiene products to the old age and the physically challenged children.

The donations were made on Tuesday in Lagos to the physically challenged persons at the Pacelli School for the Blind, Surulere and the Lagos State owned Old People’s Home, Sabo-Yaba. The food items range from bags of rice, beans, semovita, noodles, beverages among many others.

The company is marking the Sustainability Week with the theme: ‘Building a Sustainable Future – The Dangote Way’, which begins on September 27 and to end on September 30.

Speaking on the initiative, Head, Sustainability, Dangote Group, Eunice Sampson said that “We are employees of Dangote Group and every year, we have our sustainability week, which is driven by employee volunteering.” 

She noted that all the operations of Dangote Group across Africa are implementing various initiatives that are aimed at empowering their host communities and ensuring a sustainable present and future for the conglomerate.

She added that:  “We have set aside this week to create awareness about the need for good neighbourliness and we will also promoting environmental responsibility, social responsibility and good governance in all our operations.

She explained that one of the things we do during our sustainability week is to reach out to our host communities, which aligned with the vision of our employer, Dangote Group.

She added that this is important at this period of time (COVID), as there is a lot of hunger in the land “…and this is not just particular to Africa, it is a global thing” 

She pointed out that this is why Dangote employees from the head office have chosen the old age home and to celebrate with them and teach them on how to be hygiene.

The manager of Old People Home, Yaba, Oluwafunmilayo Adekola thanked the Dangote Group for the goods brought for the elders and for supporting the Lagos State government at this COVID era.

Also, the principal of Pacelli School for the Blind & Partially Insighted Children, Surulere Sister Jane Onyeneri said that the school has been in existence since 1964 and it provides free education to the pupils and students, saying that it is through the goodwill of people like Dangote Group that they are able to give the children the best education.

She noted that the children have performed well in all their exams at the national level, saying that this goes with the saying there is ability in disability.

She noted that the children are well taken care of because of generous donations from Nigerians, commending the kind gesture of Dangote Group for the items brought for the children.

Onyeneri stated that this is the beginning of friendship from Dangote Group, calling on the Group to be part of its jubilee celebration coming next year.

Group lead, Health and Safety, Dangote Group, James Adenuga said: “We are excited at the way the Old Age Home is run and we commend the Lagos State government.”

He noted: “We are in a peculiar time, which is COVID-19 and it is gladdening to note the apt way the pandemic has been handled by the Lagos State Government.”

He urged the workers to practice good hygiene since they are taking care of the senior citizen (elderly ones).