BNF Bank continues to support literacy initiatives

In its continued commitment towards literacy and the Maltese language, BNF Bank is supporting the distribution of Karamellu tar-Raħal t’Isfel, a new series of children’s books in Maltese.

The first book is a collection of 10 illustrated stories about childhood in the Maltese village of Żejtun during the 1950s when there was no television, and the computer, mobile and internet era was yet to come. The stories are penned by Charles Buttiġieġ, who writes under the name of In-Nannu Karm. The stories have been acknowledged for their cultural value and their use of the Maltese language.

Collaborating once again with the National Literacy Agency, BNF Bank is helping to distribute this publication across different schools in Gozo. Book donations were presented to the principal of the Gozo College on behalf of Primary Schools in Gozo.

Another book donation was presented to the headmistress of the Sannat Primary and Special Unit. With the involvement of parents, this Unit provides holistic education to empower and enable the proactive participation in society to early years, primary and secondary level students and young adults with Individual Educational Needs (IEN).

The bank’s Gozo Branch, headed by senior Branch manager Antonella Curmi, was elemental in driving this collaboration forward – a result of the involvement of the Gozo team in the local community. “The

bank has become renowned for its strong relationships with customers and this goes beyond customer care for banking solutions. It permeates the social fabric with significant investments in the wider community we serve, in the hope of making an impact where it matters most.”

“In its continued efforts to safeguard the Maltese identity and language as part of its ESG remit, BNF Bank is supporting this educational initiative that encourages children to read and exposes them to traditions and values of their forefathers,” said Reuben Bezzina, head of Retail Banking at BNF Bank. “Our collaboration will be of benefit to numerous children in a number of schools in Gozo, who can now lift Karamellu tar-Raħal t’Isfel off the library shelves and enjoy these stories that will surely fire up their imagination and interest.”

The author explained how the stories in the 100page publication were partly autobiographical, including true happenings and characters he remembers as a child. He thanked BNF Bank for its support, saying it augured well for the publication’s dissemination across different schools and student age groups.