NIC Bank has partnered with Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) under the MENTENDA initiative to adopt and mentor young men from Upper Hill School. Through this initiative, NIC Bank male staff members will dedicate their time and expertise in mentoring the students on how to be responsible and confident young men while inculcating in them a strong give back ethos to their school and community.
NIC Bank Managing Director John Gachora yesterday, led a group of 57 NIC Bank male staff drawn from different departments and regions to mentor the students as well as learn from the students in the year-long programme targeting approximately 800 boys from the school.
“This initiative inspires us to move from inertness to action on the pressing challenges facing the boy child in the country. The boy child continues to receive far less societal leadership and counsel making him vulnerable to societal vices and a weak sense of self-identity. As NIC, we choose to be part of the solution in ensuring these young men realise their full potential and become responsible young men and citizens of this country. Upper Hill School is dear to us as its located within our community and we want to influence change right from our home,” said Mr Gachora during the launch of the programme at the school.
NIC Staff have gone through mentorship trainings to equip them with the requisite skills to work with the boys. The mentorship programme will cover 10 key topics including values of greatness, career development, success, masculinity and positive patriotism among others.
For Apollo Aso,l the Human Resources Manager at NIC, and one of the 57 mentors, the opportunity to work with the boys was something he could not pass, to be a part of working with the next generation and help them be better men.
“ I am excited to be a part of this programme to hand hold these young men, to help ensure the next generation is armed with the right tools to see them be great leaders and be confident to reach their dreams,” said Apollo.
“We are grateful that NIC Bank has shown leadership in identifying the challenges facing the boy child in our society and choosing to be part of this innovative character and role modelling initiative. We are looking at working with NIC and indeed other organisation who would like to be part of this initiative that seeks to empower the boy child across the country,” said Ms Janet Mawiyoo, KCDF’s Chief Executive Officer
