Chennai, October 25, 2016: Equitas Small Finance Bank, the first private sector Bank in Tamil Nadu post-Independence today organised Diwali celebration for 50 children from the families of rehabilitated pavement dwellers. Through the CSR initiative, gift vouchers, lunch box and sweets were distributed amongst the students. Parents of the kids were given groceries from the Equitas Dhanya Kosha grocery stores that Equitas runs as a not for profit food security initiative.
As part of Equitas Birds Nest, an initiative for rehabilitating pavement dwellers, every year Equitas celebrates Diwali in one slum where pavement dwellers are accommodated. This is for the first time that Equitas SFB has celebrated Diwali at its office with the kids and their parents.
Mr. P N Vasudevan, MD & CEO, Equitas Small Finance Bank engaged the kids and the parents and motivated them to become part of nation building process during the event.
Equitas Pavement dwellers rehabilitation program is a part of Equitas Development Initiative Trust (EDIT) that addresses a larger spectrum of requirements of low income Self-help group (SHG) members including schools for SHG members’ children and skill development training classes to its SHG members. Equitas Group is committed to contribute 5% of its annual profits to carry out these activities.
Since its launch, Equitas Bird’s Nest has rehabilitated 902 families residing in the pavements of Chennai. The program was presented to these families and was launched with their support. As a first step of this program, financial support for housing was provided to these families. The financial support met the expenses of rental advance and the first six months’ rentals.
