Sierra Leone’s leading international bank, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), has pledged absolute support to the Wellington Orphanage.
In its bid to give back to society some of the proceeds received from the very society, on Saturday SCB’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Albert Saltson presented millions of Leones worth of goods to the orphanage and pledged the bank’s continual support to the home.
As the sun smiled unkindly in the sky, the soothing voices of the children of the orphanage welcomed SCB’s staff with religious songs.
In his statement after the welcoming by the healthily looking children, the founder of the orphanage, Rev Hassan Mansaray stated that, “it is an opportunity for us to serve this nation through children…”
He explained that every huge tree was once a small one, noting that great men and women were once children.
Rev Mansaray disclosed that, “50 children of the orphanage are in secondary school, while three others are about to take the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE)”.
The orphanage’s founder noted that, “these kids in a short while would enter the work force and contribute immensely to the society.”
He pointed to a recently adopted kid who was abandoned at the Ola During Maternal Home, noting that these were the type of cases they catered for.
Rev Mansaray said the orphanage wanted to be independent as such they had engaged in a musical project and that they would be coming out with an album titled: ‘Voice of the Orphans,’ adding that the proceeds of that project would be invested in a fishing project.
Delivering his statement enthusiastically, the SCB’s CEO emphasized that, “it is the community that helps us to be profitable [entity] so we have to give back to the community.”
Mr Saltson explained that the institution has been rendering help to various communities.
“We have contributed a lot; as far as community development is concerned we have done our bit,” he said.
The CEO stated that they felt humbled and privileged to be part of the orphanage, noting that they had come to put smiles on the children’s faces.
The donation was climaxed by musical chair and dancing competition between SCB staff and the orphanage’s children.
SCB, which was established in 1894, has three branches in Sierra Leone.
It employs nearly 120 people, out of which one is on an international assignment across Standard Chartered’s Asia network.
Standard Chartered is one of the leading foreign banks in terms of trading profit in the country.
Its operations in Sierra Leone continue to win “Banking Excellence” awards from the prestigious Banker Award of the Financial Times in London.
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