A packed room. Terminal students, eager to discover the message of their visitors, were eagerly waiting… This Wednesday, October 30, 2019, a team of UBA BENIN on behalf of the UBA Foundation went, with their arms full, to the Behanzin high school in Porto-Novo, as part of its traditional educational activity called « Read Africa ». During an exchange session with high school students and their instructors, teams from the Marketing and Communication Department of UBA BENIN and the Porto-Novo branch donated books to the program in high schools at the College of Benin, on behalf of the UBA Foundation.

Several dozen copies of Jean PLIYA’s book titled « Les Tresseurs de corde » were offered to this secular high school to further expand its library.

Presenting UBA bank and its foundation to the hundred or so learners gathered for the occasion, Mr. Didier SOUROU stressed the social role played by the foundation in the communities in which the UBA bank operates. « We have a social role to play in our community to impact lives. Today, we are interested in the field of education by encouraging young learners to enjoy reading. We do not only come to give books but we encourage reading in order to inspire an army of Africans who love reading tomorrow to go and find the bountiful treasures, hidden through the pages of books” said Mr. SOUROU.

Mr. José HOUNVENOU, the Principal of the Béhanzin High School, for his part, was pleased with the choice of the school he heads, in order to welcome this gesture which aims at the promotion of books in schools. “We want to reassure the bank that these books are being made available to learners and urge them to use them wisely to get the most out of them.”

The other highlight of the day was a followed-up and guided reading session. Students took turns reading excerpts from Jean PLIYA’s book “Les tresseurs de corde”. The best readers were awarded with gifts from the UBA Foundation. Each of the learners present at the session received UBA-branded gifts and other gadgets.