A world full of heart is a world full of opportunities, is the motto under which NLB Group continues to donate funds to improve living and working conditions in its home region, which is not just a point on the map, but a home. Motivated by the desire to direct part of the profit towards creating a sustainable future, this year it decided to invest 1.35 million euros in the seven markets where it operates
Of the total amount, NLB Group allocated as much as 300,000 euros to humanitarian organizations that improve living conditions for families, children, and the elderly in Serbia. After the employees of NLB Komercijalna Banka proposed and then voted for five organisations with sufficient capacity and resources to deliver systemic changes, the donation was evenly distributed for 60,000 euros, which was redirected to support the further work of the Nordeus Foundation, the Center for Positive Development children and youth, Center Zvezda and associations Evo Ruka and Dečje srce.
“For NLB Group and NLB Komercijalna Banka, success is measured in two ways – by exceptional business results, but also by positive changes that we initiate in our environment. Today, there is almost no important topic or open social issue in which we have not invested our time, energy, and resources. However, as systemic players in the regional market, we strive to direct most of our capacities in the direction of systemic changes. This is precisely why we dedicated this year’s donation to organisations that strengthen the very pillar of our society, working to improve the living conditions of families, children and the elderly. Investing in them and their dedicated work is the safest investment in the sustainable future of all of us,” said Vlastimir Vuković, President of the Executive Board of NLB Komercijalna Banka.
Ana Knežević, president of the Evo ruka association, pointed out that the support and donation of NLB Komercijalna banka is of the greatest importance for their mission and achieving the vision of a society of equal opportunities. All activities and strengths of the association are aimed at creating better living conditions for children with developmental disabilities, as well as supporting their parents. During the next year, thanks to this support, the association will open a new inclusive centre Evo Ruka in Nova Pazova, which will be a new contact point for all families of children with developmental disabilities in Serbia, as well as a centre for independence and job training of young people with disabilities.
In front of the Center Zvezda organization, the founder Tatjana Dražilović stated that she will redirect the funds from the donation to purchase a rural property, where young people from their “House of Opportunities” program will be able to start their own food production, but also to socialize and get to know each other better. Food production will enable the self-sustainability of the care program for young people without adequate parental care in the Houses of Opportunities.
“Thanks to the support of NLB Group and NLB Komercijalna banka, we will be able to organize several free activities for children and young people: education on the topic of tolerance and gender equality, workshops on recycling and environmental protection, personal development School and Business Skills School training, as well as organize tour of plays created with young people without parental care. As before, our work will include elementary school students, high school students, but also youth from the community and youth without parental care,” said Lidija Bukvić-Branković, executive director of the Centre for Positive Development of Children and Youth.
The Director of the Children’s Heart Humanitarian Organization, Goran Rojević, said that with the help of NLB Komercijalna Banka, he will start another coffee work centre Zvuci srca in Pančevo, which will provide young people with developmental disabilities with employment, and their parents a view of a safer future for their children.
“Through the Foundation’s project, the donation will be fully invested in schools, through the construction of new Maker Labs, planting organic gardens and equipping them with various digital tools needed to implement a unique program that will connect high schools, agricultural and technical high schools, enable them to share knowledge and together they are innovating,” said Miloš Đuričanin, director of strategy and development of the Nordeus Foundation.
As a reminder, within the framework of the project A World Full of Hearts is a World Full of Opportunities, last year NLB Komercijalna banka donated 40,000 euros to the humanitarian organization SOS Children’s Villages Serbia. In addition to the donation of 10,000 euros for the reconstruction and adaptation of the Parents’ House in Belgrade of the National Association of Parents of Children with Cancer (NURDOR), the bank also installed NURDOR boxes in 130 branches throughout Serbia, to enable its clients to donate funds for the same purposes.