Baiduri Bank has engaged the Council for Welfare of Persons with Different Abilities (MKOKU) as the strategic partner for the eighth edition of the Bank’s annual ‘Let’s Give Back This Ramadhan’ initiative.
Each year, underprivileged families from all four districts are identified by the Bank’s strategic partner to enjoy an afternoon of shopping for household items and necessities in preparation for Hari Raya at local supermarkets and are later treated to iftar.
This year the initiative will support 100 MKOKU members and their families, starting with 28 from Brunei-Muara and Temburong at Hua Ho Onecity and Soon Lee Megamart Lambak today.
Present at the events from Baiduri Bank’s management committee were Pg Azaleen Pg Dato Hj Mustapha, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Group Treasury and Institutional Banking and Ak Nor Muhammad Nizam Pg Haji Tengah, Head of Institutional Banking, respectively.
Speaking at the first instalment of the month-long initiative, Pg Azaleen Pg Dato Hj Mustapha said: “Ramadhan is a period of reflection and self-improvement. It offers us a unique opportunity to support our communities and those in need, reinforcing the values of compassion and charity.”
“My colleagues and I are very fortunate and thankful that we are able to give back to the community in events like today as we are aware that our actions - whether through donations, or simply devoting time and effort - are helping others and that can be immensely rewarding and fulfilling.”
There are currently nine non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under the MKOKU – Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam, The Centre for Children with Special Needs (KACA), Paraplegic and Physically Handicapped Association (PAPDA), Society for Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER Brunei), Down Syndrome Association (ABLE), Special Olympics Brunei Darussalam (SOBD), Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind (BDNAB), National Association for the Hearing-Impaired (OKP) and Learning Ladders Society (LLS).
Malai Didi @ Sharifah Adila Surya binti Malai Haji Abdullah, President of the MKOKU, said: “On behalf of MKOKU we would like to express our deepest gratitude to Baiduri Bank for engaging with us for this year's ‘Let’s give back this Ramadhan’.”
“It is especially heart-warming as having a person with a disability can be challenging financially, with costs from therapies, specialised equipment and classes and restricted dietary requirements. These considerations are often overlooked, so this initiative will go a long way to ensuring a great Hari Raya ahead for our MKOKU member families.”
As in previous years, the initiative is supported by volunteers from ‘Baiduri Cares’, an internal programme where employees from Baiduri Bank and its sister companies – Baiduri Finance and Baiduri Capital – can volunteer their time and energy to various activities.
In the spirit of collaboration, the Bank has continued its partnership with Setia Motors, with Indera Motors joining as an additional logistics partner for the initiative, assisting in transporting families from their homes to the respective venues and back.
For more information on Baiduri Bank’s CSR efforts, visit the Bank’s website
www.baiduri.com or follow Baiduri Bank’s social media accounts.
