Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) celebrated the 10th anniversary of its flagship corporate social responsibility programme BIBD Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future (ALAF) in a ceremony at the An-Naura Hall, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the capital yesterday.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, and Chairman of BIBD’s Board of Directors, was the guest of honour.
BIBD Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Junaidi bin Haji Masri said the BIBD ALAF programme has seen 272 students in it’s 10-year history.
“In that time, the programme has seen one student graduating from the Al-Azhar University in Egypt, with two currently completing their undergraduate studies at the Al Azhar University and the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Over 30 students are also studying at local universities under the programme,” he said.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew presented BIBD ALAF Star Awards to 83 ALAF students who excelled in public examinations during the 2022 academic session. The ceremony also saw a student presented with a special award for exceptional achievements in Al-Quran memorisation, and contributions of library books to 10 schools under the programme.
Since the launch of the programme in 2013, BIBD ALAF has been dedicated to supporting and developing the manpower needs of the nation by providing comprehensive education assistance to students from targeted segments. The programme takes a holistic approach to nurturing youths, prioritising both educational and personal development.
Students receive comprehensive educational support, and their extracurricular activities are curated to equip them with relevant skill sets such as coding, public speaking and urban farming.
The programme is also committed to safeguarding the mental and physical health and welfare of the students, providing a supportive environment. – Adib Noor
