Market players in child cancer crusade

March 9, 2017 in U by Editor

March 9–It was in December 2016 when Uganda’s financial markets professionals set about putting together a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy and already their efforts are paying off dividends for some of the country’s children suffering from cancer.

ACI Uganda recently donated UGX 27 million (about $7,500) to Bless the Child Foundation (BCF). This an NGO that cares and supports children inflicted with the disease between birth and the age of 17 years. The Foundation that started in 2007 has so far taken care of 1800 children.

Anne Juuko, the Treasurer of ACI Uganda said, “As an association, we recognize the unfortunate plight of cancer sufferers across the country and the need for adequate medical care and support, particularly for pediatric patients who are the most vulnerable.”

ACI Uganda has pegged its CSR strategy on easing the plight of cancer in the country and focusing on medical care and support, particularly for pediatric cancer patients.

“We therefore decided to act by raising  to support this and identified BCF as  one of the beneficiaries, because of the work they have done with children affected by cancer,” Juuko said. She is currently Head, Global Markets at Stanbic Bank (Uganda).

BCF was founded by Brian Walusimbi, a local popular clown and his original plan was that as many pediatric patients as possible have access to proper diagnostics and treatment. The Foundation that started in 2007 has so far taken care of 1800 children.

BCF tries to make sure these children are supported to retain a sense of normalcy by the provision of auxiliary services in terms of education and recreation while they undergo medical treatment. Psycho social support is also offered to patients and their caregivers; this helps patients to come to terms with the realities of their disease and caregivers are supported to cope better with the complexities of care and to understand.

ACI or Association Cambiste Internationale, is an international non-profit, non-political association of wholesale financial market professionals. Members of ACI FMA are in a large part engaged in professional trading, broking, operations, regulatory and compliance activities in foreign exchange, money fixed income and derivatives markets. ACI Uganda is a member of the global ACI Financial Markets Association.

ACI was founded in Paris in 1955 and has a proud and illustrious history of involvement in helping its membership through various phases of market evolution. ACI currently counts some 12,000 international members from more than 60 countries, with growing interest globally. The membership is versatile including Central Banks, Commercial Banks, Hedge Funds, Investment Firms, Asset Management Firms, Broker-dealers, Consultancy firms, Exchanges, service providers, Corporations, Government & Regulatory Agencies, and the Academia.

ACI Uganda wants to improve technical skills and knowledge among dealers and to promote the professional training. It aims for competence of new dealers and to develop new techniques and best practices in providing foreign exchange and money markets products in Uganda. It also hands plans to promote the highest global standards of professionalism, competence and ethics in activities and products in the financial markets of Uganda.