KARACHI              -          National Bank of Pakistan has topped up its earlier contributions towards combating coronavirus pandemic by donating another Rs. 80 million to support over 26,000 financially vulnerable households. The initiative is a part of its ongoing CSR plan to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This generous donation will support over 26,000 households belonging to the disadvantaged segment of society who have been most affected due to the lockdowns across the country. To combat the unprecedented situation in the country, NBP has adopted a multi-pronged approach of giving back to deserving members of society as part of its social responsibility. In the first phase of its efforts, NBP collaborated with Karachi Relief Trust (KRT), a disaster management volunteer group, because of its impeccable track record. NBP’s donation of Rs. 20 million to KRT helped provide rations to over 6,500 households comprising of deserving daily wage earners and their families.

In the second phase of its CSR COVID19 response plan, NBP, in a unique initiative donated Rs. 60 million to five Non-Bank MicroFinance Companies (NBMFCs) for onward donation to their customers across Pakistan whose incomes have been poorly affected by lockdowns. These households have been operating their micro andsmall businesses financed by small loans from the NBMFCs and due to the current situation their incomes have been significantly reduced. 20,000 deserving households across the countrywill benefit from NBP’s donation through NBMFCs.

NBP’s strategic partnership with NBMFCs is part of a larger initiative under COVID 19 pandemic to play a leadership role and provide a holistic response including financial support to the Microfinance sector which serves over 7 million households across Pakistan. The Bank has been supportive of Microfinance sector in the past and will now enhance its focusas part of its Inclusive Development strategy with the aim of improving financial inclusion in Pakistan.