NBS Bank for Financial Inclusion of People with Disabilities

In its quest to provide convenient banking solutions for all customers, NBS Bank plc has said it wants to ensure that all customers are accommodated, by orienting customers with disabilities on the different services being offered by the bank to satisfy its financial inclusion policy.

NBS Bank Cluster Manager for Centre and North Tryson Kalanda spoke on Thursday in Lilongwe during an orientation training for people with hearing disabilities.

The Bank, through its Lilongwe Service Centre, trained members of Lilongwe Association for the Deaf in account opening, bank transaction charges, depositing and withdrawing money through the auto teller machine (ATM) and mobile banking, with the aid of a sign language interpreter.

“We want to ensure that no one should be left behind in our fight for financial inclusion through orienting prospective customers who have specific challenges to patronize the bank. That is why we organized this training for our friends from Lilongwe Association for the Deaf to participate in.” said Kalanda.

He encouraged the members, who included businessmen in various fields such as carpentry and joinery, to open accounts with the bank as it is ready to serve them and ensure that their financial needs are met, just like anyone else.

Kalanda thanked the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM), which is driving the financial inclusion policy agenda, for helping the bank to identify the people with disabilities to be trained.

Centre for Financial Inclusion and Literacy Consultancy Managing Director, Abel Mwenibanda, hailed NBS Bank for the drive and promised to provide sign language interpreter each time members of the association want to talk to the bank.

“We want every person to be taken aboard in financial matters, there should be no one left behind because we are living in an era of sophisticated financial activities,” said Mwenibanda.

The association’s chairperson Luka Peter said its members have various businesses and professions but have never had a chance to own bank accounts due to speech problems.