CSR: Airtel warms brand in consumers’ heart in Ogun

Airtel Nigeria has rekindled its brand in the minds of its customers through corporate social responsibility (CSR) project. The brand created an indelible mark on the people of Ijebu-Igbo in Ogun State, when it adopted a school, St John’s Primary School.

The telco’s adoption of school initiative that started in 2011 is aimed at transforming the face of the primary education in Nigeria. The adoption of St John’s Primary School, according to the firm, does not only end with the provision of infrastructure, as the brand’s presence is continuously felt in the adopted school as it continues to design robust programmes to support the school.

Speaking at the commissioning of a block of four classrooms and three offices at St John’s Primary School, Olusegun Ogunsanya, CEO/managing director of the firm, stated that Airtel was laying a solid foundation for the future of the children, who are the future leaders of our country, Nigeria.

Explaining the basis of the initiative, Ogunsanya said “under this programme, we are adopting government-owned primary schools located in undeserved, rural and semi-urban areas and providing them with requisite infrastructure and learning tools like classrooms, textbooks, furniture, school uniforms, school bags and, indeed, the relevant training to improve the teaching skills of our teachers.

“Our commitment to the people of Ogun State and Nigerians is long term. We will remain part of the schools we have adopted and we will continue to maintain the necessary support and care. As a matter of fact, some of our employees have volunteered to support this programme.”

During the commissioning ceremony, the wife of Ogun State governor, Olunfunso Amosun applauded Airtel for its commitment to the uplifting of the Nigerian society, saying “I must hasten to commend Airtel Nigeria for veering into a very crucial area in the development of our great nation. Airtel, through its CSR programme tagged adopt-a-school programme has partnered the state government to deliver quality primary education to under-privileged children. And what we have before us today underscores the company’s commitment to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of underprivileged children and the Nigerian society.”

Amosun encouraged the entire staff, management and shareholders of Airtel in Nigeria to keep up the good work and never waiver in their avowed commitment to support government in uplifting the standard of education across the country.

On her part, the acting head teacher of St John’s Primary School, V.I Boyego who described Airtel as a giant communication industry, appreciated Airtel’s act of generosity to the community and listed the impact of the project on the school. “This project has tremendously changed the status of the school because the school now stands out in the group of schools in Ijebu-North. The population of the school has also increased greatly as a result of this gigantic project carried out within the past few months. It is certain that the lucky teachers and pupils will encode and decode messages inside this block of four classrooms, and will carry out teaching and learning process under a conducive atmosphere,” she said.