Citigroup Nigeria Supports Habitat for Humanity
Nigeria International Bank Limited, a member of Citigroup, recently supported the work Habitat for Humanity Nigeria (HFHN), a non-profit, non-governmental housing organization that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness in Nigeria.
Citigroup, the preeminent global financial services company with some 200 million customer accounts in approximately 100 countries, provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services,including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, insurance,
securities brokerage, and asset management. Major brand names under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney, Banamex, and Travelers Life and Annuity.
Citigroup's Sub-Saharan Africa region, through the Citigroup Foundation, has donated more than $295,000 to Habitat for Humanity International HFHI for house building projects across Sub-Saharan Africa over the last three years. For this year, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity staff, volunteers and communities, Citigroup staff will build more than 30 houses in various stages of construction.
Nigeria International Bank donated a grant through the Citigroup Foundation to HFHN and the funding will be used to build 20 homes.
Khalid Qurashi, Nigeria International Bank's Managing Director, said: "We are proud to be associated with Habitat Nigeria cn this project. Poverty housing is a major problem in Nigeria and the activities of Habitat Nigeria are tailored towards providing homes for deserving families. A decent home is a basic right for every individual and partnering with an organization like Habitat for Humanity will help families achieve this right. Our partnership with Habitat on this project further reinforces the commitment of our parent company, Citigroup, to a range of development and poverty alleviation schemes throughout the world."
According to Samuel Odia, the National Director of HFHN: "Our mission is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness in Nigeria. By using Compressed Earth Brick Technology, Habitat empowers ordinary people to improve their own housing conditions. Citigroup Nigeria assistance will not only build houses for 20 needy families - it will contribute to the growth, and popular use, of a brick technology that may revolutionize low-income building in Nigeria and to the economic empowerment of countless families."
Habitat for Humanity International (Habitat) is a non-governmental, ecumenical Christian housing ministry building simple, decent, affordable homes for people in need in 89 countries around the world. The organization has constructed over 150,000 houses in
the past 27 years and plans to build another 100,000
over the next five years.
Habitat works in partnership with local leadership to help communities address their housing needs for themselves. Potential homeowners are selected according to needs and ability to pay back their mortgage for which the organization does not make any profit or charge interest. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor "sweat equity" into building their Habitat house and the houses of others. Homeowners and volunteers work under trained supervision to help construct the houses, helping keep costs down. Homes are sold, not given away, and repayments stay within the local community to help build more houses utilizing the revolving
"Fund for Humanity".
Also, Citigroup Builds Houses in 11 Countries, as Part of Regional Campaign to Alleviate Poverty Housing. Volunteers from Citigroup branches across Sub-Saharan Africa, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) and local communities have helped build houses in Cote D'lvoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia during the past week as part of a regional campaign aimed at alleviating the problem of inadequate housing in these countries. Citigroup Nigeria (Nigeria International Bank Limited) hosted its house-building event on June 5 and Citigroup Cameroon will organize an event during the third quarter of this year.
More than 250 Citigroup staff from 10 offices across Sub-Saharan Africa volunteered for the project. Sebastian Paredes, Citigroup Sub-Saharan Africa Division Head, said, "We are proud to continue being
part of the reconstruction and development process in these countries and we are pleased to assist deserving families who would not otherwise be able to afford a home of their own. A decent home is a basic human right for every individual and our partnership with Habitat for Humanity will help families achieve this right. We are also proud that 10 of our countries with local operations have participated in this regional initiative."
Mark Crozet, Resource Development & Communications Director, Habitat for Humanity Africa and Middle East said, "We are excited to bring Citibank and Habitat for Humanity together for one unified week to celebrate Citigroup's ongoing commitment to providing decent housing across Africa. As I visit the communities in Ghana where we have partnered in this spirit of service, I am struck by the impact that builds such as these have on the people. Citigroup's commitment to making a difference in these communities adds value that goes far beyond the physical provision of a house. They are helping to build a home."
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