By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma
Freetown, Sierra Leone – In a heartwarming gesture, Ecobank Sierra Leone Ltd donated over 60 packs of sanitary materials to female patients at the Kissy Mental Home, the country’s main psychiatric teaching hospital, on Friday, March 14. The donation was part of the bank’s ongoing efforts to celebrate International Women’s Day, observed globally on March 8.
Sheikh Omaru Jalloh, Head of Brand, Communications, and Marketing at Ecobank, emphasized that the donation aligns with the bank’s commitment to supporting women and girls in Sierra Leone.
“As part of the International Women’s Day Celebration, Ecobank thought it fit to continue with a donation to the Kissy Mental Home, where we distributed 60 packs of toiletries containing 13 items. We do this because some of these women feel neglected, which is why we partnered with the Kissy Mental Home,” Jalloh explained.
He noted that this is not the first time Ecobank has supported the mental home, highlighting the bank’s ongoing partnership with the hospital in various projects aimed at improving the facility’s development and well-being.
“This is part of our corporate social responsibility as a bank to give back to society. Even the management of the Kissy Mental Home was very happy and glad to receive us,” Jalloh added.
Madam Sarlefatu Samoura, Human Resource Officer at Ecobank-SL, reiterated the bank’s dedication to supporting women and girls, especially during March, which is globally recognized as Women’s Month.
“We have always partnered with the Kissy Mental Home because we believe it is important to show love and support to these women. Many times, they feel neglected, unappreciated, and excluded from society. That’s why we visited the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital to provide them with sanitary materials,” Samoura stated.
Dr. Elizabeth Alieu, Acting Medical Superintendent of the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital, expressed gratitude for Ecobank’s donation, noting the bank’s consistent support for the facility.
“They have always supported us, and this is another example of their generosity. When they celebrated International Women’s Day, they didn’t forget the women in the psychiatric hospital. We truly appreciate Ecobank, and I want to thank the management and staff for remembering our patients,” Dr. Alieu said.
She also called on other private and non-governmental organizations to support mental health initiatives, emphasizing that “there is no health without mental health.”
Christiana Kamara, one of the beneficiaries, thanked Ecobank for their kindness and urged other organizations to remember the patients at the psychiatric hospital.
“We love you. Thank you, thank you,” Kamara said.
Another beneficiary, Nimisa Jalloh, expressed her gratitude and promised to use the donated items responsibly. She also appealed to other organizations to support the mental home, reminding them that the patients are an integral part of society.
Ecobank’s donation underscores its commitment to corporate social responsibility and its dedication to improving the lives of vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, in Sierra Leone.
