ZALAYHAR Hassanali, widow of late president Noor Hassanali and patron of NGO United Way Trinidad and Tobago (UWTT), said the country needed help and those in a responsible position to do so, should.
She spoke as over 70 Republic Bank Ltd employees repainted the exterior of the St John’s Girls’ RC School, Church Street, Diego Martin on May 20. The employees also had plans to do planting as well and trough planters were prepared for that purpose.
Hassanali said, “It is all about Republic Bank has the power to make a difference and United Way has decided to have this day of caring.”
The NGO’s National Day of Caring began in 2013 and is its signature volunteer employee engagement event, its website said.
It added, “Corporate partners engage with their employees to give their time and energy to their chosen projects. The projects were planned and executed on the third Sunday of May to provide a sense of national scale in its reach and number of volunteers.
“Projects range from improving schools and NGO buildings, beach clean-ups, and community outreach like growing gardens to delivering care packages for elderly homes.”
Hassanali said many came on Saturday as the projects continued over the weekend.
“It is so wonderful to see so many of them giving back. My husband and I brought United Way to Trinidad and Tobago. My husband was at the University of Toronto and he brought down Gordon Cressy (former Canadian politician) to start United Way here in Trinidad and Tobago and I have been with them since the beginning.”
Hassanali said she was going around to the different projects to encourage the volunteers.
While the different projects help many schools etcetera, Hassanali said she also wanted to teach children to take care of the things given to them.
“They can’t be doing all of this and the children make a mess of it.” Hassanali said it was even more important now to show acts of care because a lot of people did not think of helping, caring and sharing. “They are getting into these gangs and that bothers me a lot. I want to see them doing things like these and helping each other.
“Helping other children, there are so many children who need help. The whole country needs help and those of us who are in a responsible position have to help.”
[caption id="attachment_1084542" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Employees of Republic Bank Ltd plant vegetable seedlings at the St John’s Girl’s RC School in Diego Martin for this year’s Republic Bank and United Way National Day of Caring Initiative on May 20. - Photo by Venessa Mohammed[/caption]
Republic Bank’s group president and CEO Nigel Baptiste said the bank through its Power to Make a Difference programme – which has been in existence for over 25 years – contributed financially and otherwise to many charities across the world.
Baptiste said the company felt it was important its staff got personally involved in its investment with United Way TT.
He said the financial institution’s staff was also at four other locations in TT, participating in the day
