ELAC gives whiteboards to school

By Patrick PAINTSIL
Enterprise Life Assurance Company (ELAC) has in collaboration with the Wisewater Foundation, a private non-governmental organisation, donated whiteboards and markers worth GH¢2,800 to the Bishop Girls Basic School in Accra.

The whiteboards will replace conventional chalkboards which are said to cause eye-related problems to teachers and pupils.

Mr. Francis Akoto-Yirenkyi, Senior Manager, Distribution, presenting the items said: “Meeting the needs of people is core to our business and is in line with ELAC’s corporate theme for the year -- insurance delivery with a heart -- where the heart symbolises purity, its intentions toward the welfare of policyholders and the general public.”

He said ELAC realised the hazardous nature of the chalk-dust, hence the need to support replacement of conventional blackboards with whiteboards.

“Blackboards have been with us for many years, but notwithstanding all benefits, it has over the years proven to have adverse effects on the health and well-being of both teachers and students.

“Chalk-dust accumulates in the human respiratory system, which means it can create long-term health problems due to overexposure.

 â€œAs a corporate entity it is our corporate social responsibility to give back to society part of what we have been blessed with, by supporting the educational sector as well as some public institutions,” Mr. Akoto-Yirenkyi disclosed.

He charged the pupils to take their books seriously so as to become responsible people in society.
Mr. Emmanuel Amarquaye, Chairman of Wisewater Foundation, said the “Whiteboard Project” was born out of the harmful effects of the chal-dust to teachers and pupils when inhaled.

 â€œThe Foundation believes that public schools ought to be community-owned, in that businesses operating within the community must assist in the form of corporate social responsibility.

“The way forward to meeting some of the numerous challenges facing public schools is the adoption of business marketing models to raise funds, and this project is one of such,” he noted.

Mr. Francis Akoto-Yirenkyi, Senior Manager, Distribution (ELAC), presenting markers for the whiteboards to a pupil of Bishop Girls School

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