Bank muscat SAOG : extends support to NGOs working for the welfare of persons with disabilities

MUSCAT, 2 December 2021
In line with its pioneering efforts in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and its commitment to deliver long-term benefits to the community and the nation, Bank Muscat continues to extend strong support to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working for the welfare of disabled persons. On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December, the bank highlighted a number of key initiatives in the recent past, where it partnered a number of NGOs to extend support to different segments of society.

In 2021, the bank contributed a number of wheelchairs, including powered and non-powered versions, and electric beds to persons with severe disabilities in partnership with the Oman Association for the Disabled. The bank also recently contributed laptops and BrailleSense devices to visually-impaired students at Sohar University and hearing aids to the Omani Association for the Hearing-impaired. Bank Muscat had earlier supported the construction of a playground at the Al Aman Rehabilitation Centre for children with severe disabilities, and is also at present helping provide a sports field at the Al Wafa Centre for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities. The efforts are a part of the bank's various CSR initiatives aimed at enhancing facilities for the disabled and helping them integrate into mainstream society so as to contribute positively to the nation.

As the leading financial services provider in Oman, Bank Muscat has been undertaking many measures for the inclusion of persons with disabilities into mainstream society. The bank's efforts in this regard include the operation of a special ATM with a special transaction flow for blind and visually-impaired people on the premises of the head office of the Al Noor Association of the Blind. Also, special access ramps and other arrangements for easy access have been made available at different branches and ATMs in Oman. The bank has also trained a number of its branch employees in sign language to facilitate easy communication with the hearing impaired.

Every year, Bank Muscat continues its CSR and sustainability programmes and activities that are serving various segments of society including the youth and children, people with disabilities, social welfare families, entrepreneurs, students and communities across the country. Apart from numerous one-off projects, the bank continues to run over 10 long-term CSR programmes. The bank's CSR and sustainability programmes have been well appreciated by society, and it has been honored in the past by the Ministry of Social Development, the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Fourth Oman Forum for Partnership and Social Responsibility for its efforts in this regard.