20th May, 2003

NBC donates medicines worth Tshs. 2, 5 million to Iringa

(Speech by NBC Head of Human Resources, Suzie Teete)

Honourable Monica Mbega (MP), Iringa Urban Constituency, MSD management here present, NBC Head of Human Resources Suzie Teete, members of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my fellow Tanzanians. A very good morning to you all.

 

Today is yet another great day for the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) Ltd. We gather here this morning to witness not only another great act of charity, but indeed a tangible demonstration of corporate citizenship. NBC is a Tanzanian Bank, and will always be proudly Tanzanian. We do not want to blow our own trumpet, but we would rather have our own deeds tell our success story, not just as a bank, but as a bank for everyone.

 

There is no better way to demonstrate a company's corporate citizenship and commitment to the development of any community than to get involved in its daily existence, and that includes banking as well as health matters. A healthy community makes for healthy banks. If the community is sick or ill, and dying then the banks will get sick or ill and eventually die.

 

At NBC, we believe in the growth and development of the communities in which we operate. Health is one of our key focus areas in as far as corporate social responsibility is concerned, alongside education and job-creation. We may not be the loudest bank when it comes to social investment but that’s our choice. To us, it's not how much we trumpet our own involvement in community development, but what we do to help alleviate the scourge of poverty, and to assist in the health and education delivery system in this country.

 

As we hand over these medical supplies, worth Tshs. 2, 5 million, to the people of Iringa, through their MP, we would like to encourage other well wishers, donor organistions and companies to get involved in community development programmes throughout the country. Bringing health care services, delivery systems and medical supplies closer to the people of Tanzania is as important as making banking easier for them. Let me thank Honourable Mbega (MP), for giving us an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment not only to the people of Iringa, but to the entire nation of Tanzania.

 

We have made it our business to make banking easier and to bring it closer to every Tanzanian by taking the lead in lowering our minimum balance on Savings Accounts to Tshs. 5 000. We also brought banking closer to our customers when we introduced 30 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across the country early last year (2002), thereby making banking available 24 hours a day. In November last year, 2002, we went a step further and launched Internet Banking, code-named netbank, thereby bringing banking into people's homes and offices. We believe in accessibility, availability, affordability and convenience of services whether they are banking or health related. That's why today we are pleased to hand over these medical supplies to honourable Mbega. We know they are desperately needed in Iringa.

 

This is not the first time that NBC is getting involved in community development. Last November (2002), we donated the first ever fully equipped, hi-tech mobile clinic in the country, valued at USD 45 000, to the Dar-es-Salaam Public Health Delivery System Boards Association (DPHDSBA). Last week on Friday we signed a Tshs. 25 million sponsorship agreement with Simba Sports Club aimed at the development of soccer in the country. We also donated furniture, computers and development funding to various schools and learning centres as well as non-governmental organisations, valued at more than Tshs. 30 million in the last six months.

NBC remains committed to the growth and development of the various communities in Tanzania.