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Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C)
March 31, 2008
Pakistan: Citi Shahrah-e-Faisal Branch Reaches Out to Comfort Special Children at Dar ul Sukun
"I really love to sing and am very good at it. Would you like to hear my favorite song?" says Clara with a twinkle in her eye as she starts off a popular Indian song. Just like any child, she thrives on attention and appreciation and the expression and the smile on her face was priceless. The only difference being is that she is mentally challenged and was abandoned by her family when she was three. Since then, she has been living at Dar ul Sukun.
Dar ul Sukun is an abode for children and adults alike who are rejected by society and their families because of being physically or mentally challenged. With four of its branches spread across the city, the one at Kashmir Road has almost 150 people who need to be fed, cleaned, and given proper attention.
Founded in 1969 by Sister Gertrude Lemmens, the center works day and night for the noble cause. The three-story building has clean and well-lit rooms as well as recreation facilities for those who live there. A physiotherapy room, snoozer's room, and electrotherapy rooms are some of the basic features of the center. A new wing for an in house school and hospital are also being built
Twenty volunteers from the Shahrah-e-Faisal Citibank branch spent a fun and happening evening singing, dancing, distributing food boxes and toys among the 150 special children at Dar ul Sukun. For some volunteers, it was their first interaction with the children and they were deeply moved by this experience. This volunteer day is in line with the "Branch Community Day" program initiated by Citibank, in line with its commitment to being a socially responsible organization, and demonstrating support towards its surrounding communities.
Mohammad Arsalan Siddiqui , Branch Manager, Shahrah-e-Faisal Citibank, said :" I believe that a society cannot be truly successful with a mentality that every individual should only worry about themselves and in the end things will work out for the best. Community service is about building a stronger community whether at work, in the local neighborhood or city. It benefits you just as much as the people you serve. There is no better feeling than knowing you've made a positive impact on another person's life. It is my responsibility, due to all the privileges with which I have been blessed, to help those who have less."
Sister Ruth, Administrator, Dar ul Sukoon said: "The children had absolute fun today, thanks to Citi volunteers. We will be using the toys in the playroom being built in the new school. Hope to see more of such activities in the future as well".
Citibank has a footprint of 23 branches in Pakistan in the following cities: Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Gujranwala. The goal is to undertake a similar community effort in the vicinity of many of our other branches.
As a leading corporate citizen in more than 100 countries, Citi is committed to being a global company with a local focus. Citi's overall corporate social responsibility approach is focused on responsibility to its community, its people, and its franchise. Its efforts concentrate on building communities by helping the underserved as portrayed here as well as in the areas of education, microfinance, and the environment.
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Citi
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