CSR: Lafarge Makes Social Impact in Host Communities

In an attempt to create jobs for the youth and empower members of its host communities in Ewekoro, Ogun State, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria plc, has commenced a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative designed to assist the youth in the area to expand the scope of their dreams by acquiring the necessary technical skills and passion to venture into block making.

The programme, Supaset Block Makers Empowerment package, is intended to help willing and committed block makers to either start up or expand their businesses and move from unemployment or small-scale artisans to medium-sized entrepreneurs and employers of labour.

Explaining what he described as ‘ground breaking initiative,’ the CEO of Lafarge Joe Hudson, says the objective is to facilitate necessary funding through the company’s partnership with Self Reliance Economic Advancement Program (SEAP) Micro Finance Bank, which provides the administrative framework like training, mentoring and monitoring, thereby making the beneficiaries accountable entrepreneurs.

According to Hudson, the beneficiaries could get as much as N900 extra value on one bag of Supaset cement.

Hudson says, while handing over working tools to the beneficiaries last week that the block makers will be certified in partnership with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Dotun Oladokun, CEO of SEAP, told BusinessDay that the programme was a private sector initiative for the development of the youth, as a long lasting source of income. Against the over 20 percent interest on loan in commercial banks, the beneficiaries could get as low as 10 percent interest loan under the programme, saying the idea of partnering with SEAP was to ensure saving culture and plans for the future.

He advised the beneficiaries to maximize the benefits of the programme and remain diligent without stirring the water so that other youth could drink from the stream.

Adepegbe Abiodun a student from Federal Technical College, Ijebu Mushin, one of the beneficiaries, said he had always nursed the ambition to go into block making using Supaset cement but had been drawn back due to fund, but “when the opportunity knocked, I therefore grabbed it with two hands.”

Suade Sampson, CEO of Marvelous Deola Ventures, another beneficiary who is into block making already, said he was attracted to the programme because he wanted to expand his business.

Abimbola Ashiru, Ogun State commissioner for commerce and industry, charged the beneficiaries to use their empowerment to create jobs for others.

Welcoming the initiative, he challenged individuals who harass organizations and threaten them, saying organizations would not be able to make money and meet stakeholders including community needs. He told community leaders to encourage industrialization instead of harassing them.

Lafarge, which has given 1,128 undergraduates bursary awards in the last five years, also launched Lafarge technical apprenticeship scheme where science-based youth are trained and awarded diploma certificates. At the end, some could be absorbed into the company.