Unilever Nigeria plc, major player in the Nigeria’s FMCG sector, has commissioned a home economics laboratory for the Pacelli School of the Blind in Surulere, Lagos, as part of its corporate social responsibility.
The company, which had assisted organisations and communities in the areas of health, education/children welfare and potable water/hygiene, sees the laboratory project as a way to help the less privileged and make them independent.
Speaking at the event, Nsima Ogedi Alakwe, brand building director, Foods, Unilever Nigeria, said this was part of the management package to give back to the society.
According to Alakwe, “the Pacelli School of the Blind demanded for a home economics laboratory to help teach the blind how to use the kitchen and grow their skills of cooking by themselves, and that is why we have decided to give them an enabling environment to help them achieve this purpose.”
She noted that Unilever Nigeria, which has been a socially responsible and responsive organisation that takes strategic actions for the improvement of the communities and environments, in which it operates, had sustained its CSR practice.
“Unilever has furnished the laboratory and provided all the cooking instruments needed, such refrigerator, ambiance, gas cookers, heat extractors and food seasoning to make the food taste good among others,” she said.
Jane Onyeneri, principal of the school, said she was grateful to Unilever for believing in the students and giving them a sense of belonging, adding that Nigeria will be a better place if other companies will emulate what Unilever had done.
Onyeneri revealed that the blind students had always longed to go to the lab to learn the basis of cooking and learn a little bit about the daily living skills such as boiling water, cooking rice and other little things they can do for themselves, instead of depending on people.
According to Pamela Inyangbe, the head girl of the school, “we thank Unilever for providing the materials for our teachers to use to impact knowledge on us, and we pray that God will continue to increase them.”
Ifeoma Okeke
