HER Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah yesterday graced the launching of the Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad (BIBD) flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the ALAF (Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future) Programme.

Her Royal Highness was greeted on arrival by the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources in his capacity as BIBD Chairman Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar and Managing Director of BIBD Javed Ahmad.

The launching of the ALAF programme, which is aimed at providing education sponsorship that focuses on underprivileged and orphaned children in the country, took place at the Indera Samudera Grand Hall at The Empire Hotel and Country Club.

In a speech, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Yahya spoke of the successful organising of the Charity Expedition last October, which was the first fund-raising event for BIBD ALAF. “With the launching, BIBD ALAF will now be more visible to the public,” he said.

The minister disclosed that the fund-raiser received tremendous support from the public and collected more than $300,000 in donations, along with the involvement of more than 6,000 participants and 800 volunteers from government and non-government agencies as well as public members.

“At BIBD, our corporate values stem from the Bruneian way of life where our corporate social responsibility programme focuses on education, entrepreneurship and caring for the community.”

The provision of education has been the main focus for this programme, in line with His Majesty’s vision of having a well-educated population and the eradication of poverty.”

“The general public can now play their part in this novel effort by supporting this programme. A board of trustees will be set up by the bank to ensure its proper utilisation which is very important point to have in a programme of this nature,” he concluded.

ALAF is an extension of BIBD’s contribution towards early childhood education, as BIBD strongly believes in the importance of education as the underlying core for every individual, towards national development.

With yesterday’s official launch of ALAF, BIBD has opened a special ALAF account where public members can make donations as low as one dollar, which will be used to fund the sponsorship for education to the selected underprivileged and orphaned children.

Donations can be made through all its banking channels such as BIBD Online, standing instructions (for repetition of donations), Cash Deposit Machines and at all BIBD counters.

Members of the public can find out more of the programme by visiting www.bibdalaf.com or call the BIBD contact centre at 2238181, e-mail the CSR initiative at csr@bibd.com.bn or visit the nearest BIBD branch. - Borneo Bulletin (12 May 2013)