How ABE backs disabled persons under CSR

25 / 12 / 2021

By Ahmed Abdel Qawi - - | Edited by Marwa Nassar

The Agricultural Bank of Egypt (ABE) launched a special package for disabled persons that offers them more privileges vis-à-vis all banking and financing services.

This falls within the bank’s keenness on merging disabled persons into its clients’ base and removing all obstacles facing this group in getting all needed banking and financing services.

These efforts are also meant to offer fair chances for handicapped persons to work and contribute to the production process in accordance with directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

The president has underlined the importance of offering all needed support for disabled persons and securing chances for them to join work and merge into community in a decent and humanitarian way.

The new package of incentives offered by the bank will be available in all ADB branches include halving the fees of services and banking operations in addition to upping returns on deposits and saving accounts.

The bank’s Board Chairman Alaa Farouq said securing all needed services is a basic right for handicapped persons and this also falls in line with directives of Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt Tareq Amer on the importance of facilitating financing and banking services for this category in general.

Farouq added that the bank offers an integrated package of banking services available for all social strata and this falls within the bank’s efforts to achieve financial inclusion.

He expounded that financial inclusion represents a top priority for the bank in the current period and, therefore, the bank seeks to lure more social categories to deal with the banking sector.

Therefore, the bank also offers banking services for blind and visually impaired people in all its branches through using Braille method for opening banking accounts, he added.

He noted that the bank is also keen on offering all needed facilities for old-aged customers.

Farouq said the bank has been keen to examine the best ways for encouraging handicapped persons to become customers, therefore the bank developed a special package for this group with more advantages.

The bank is interested in offering a fair chance for handicapped persons to work and improve their living conditions.

He noted that all the bank’s branches are being upgraded to have ramps allowing wheelchairs into the bank.

He said the bank’s strategy goes in line with the state’s efforts to improve the living conditions of handicapped persons and protecting their rights within the framework of the 2030 national strategy for sustainable development.

The bank wrapped up celebrations in all its branches from December 1 to December 15 marking the International Day of Disabled Persons which falls on December 3.

The celebrations included organizing 30 activities in the governorates of Beheira, Alexandria, Matrouh, Qena, Gharbia, Sharqiya, North Sinai, Qaliobia, Sohag and Menya in collaboration with the social solidarity directorates, the National Council for Women, associations and nongovernmental organizations concerned with handicapped, and schools for disabled persons.

These activities were meant to encourage disabled persons to benefit from the banking services offered and spreading awareness about the importance of financial inclusion as well as its role in economic growth and social development. The bank’s employees distributed Meeza cards for free and trained disabled persons to use them to encourage them use the cards.