By Edward Vamboi
As a fire disaster recently left hundreds of residents of the Susan’s Bay Community destitute, the Punjab Trading Center-SL- Chapter based in Kenema on Wednesday 31st March 2021 has donated numerous non-food items to the affected victims as a way of giving them solace.
According to Victoria Bernard, the Manager of Punjab Trading Center-Kenema Branch, as a company they have branches all over the country. She further intimated that when the incident occurred they thought it fit that as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility they must complement the efforts of Government in terms of responding to disaster incidences in order to mitigate the impact on the affected persons ,like the one that occurred at the Susan’s Bay Community, which will demonstrate to Sierra Leoneans that indeed they do care for people who desperately need help.
She disclosed to journalists that the donation they are making falls among the numerous activities that they have undertaken in the country adding that she came along with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Harji Sidhu, in order to officially donate items to the affected victims of the disaster, on behalf of Punjab Trading Company Chapter.
She disclosed that the items they are donating include 50 pair of school bags, 20 pair of school shoes, 1 cartoon of tooth paste, 3 cartoon of laundry soap, 2 bundle baby diaper, 2 cartoon of sanitary pad.
Victoria Bernard also intimated that the total amount of money they spent to procure the items was Five Million Six Hundred and Seventy two thousand Leones (Le5, 672.00) as their own support to give solace to the affected victims of the fire disaster reiterating that it is a way of complementing the efforts of Government in promoting the interests of the people of Sierra Leone.
In his statement, Ibrahim Kargbo, Chairman of the Susan’s Bay Community told journalists that they as community residents are extremely happy for the intervention and the support from Punjab Trading Center.
He underscored that such a gesture directly shows the interest and love that the company has for humanity.
He said it was not the wish of the people to be grossly affected in such a way lamenting how the victims lost all their precious properties while some incurred injuries.
Chairman Ibrahim Kargbo expressed gratitude to Punjab Trading Center for considering them during this difficult moment saying they will always pray for them to do more for the nation as a whole.
