By Ellen Williams
For Fatmata Sesay, a mother of three living near Mountain Cut, the donation of a bag of rice and condiments from Rokel Commercial Bank (RCBank) meant more than just food on her table.
“We hardly see banks thinking about us,” she told Fritong Post, clutching her items with relief. “For Rokel to remember us with food, it gives us strength. Today my children will eat rice, and we thank the bank for that.”
Her story was one of many at PWD Pademba Road and East End Police Mountain Cut, where RCBank marked its 26th anniversary last week with outreach to some of Freetown’s most vulnerable residents: the homeless, disabled, and disadvantaged.
The initiative, part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, provided rice, sugar, salt, tomato paste, and other essentials to people who often feel left out of society’s safety nets. For many, it was their first time receiving direct support from a major financial institution.
Mohamed Koroma, a disabled man at PWD, described the gesture as a moment of recognition. “Sometimes society forgets us, but Rokel did not,” he said. “This is more than food. It makes us feel seen.”
Managing Director Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin said the initiative, inspired by RCBank’s mission to remain ‘a bank for the people,’ was designed to ensure that even those outside the formal banking system felt the bank’s impact.
“While we provide loans and financial services to businesses, the less privileged and disabled rarely interact with banks,” he explained. “It is crucial that they feel included. And this demonstrates that we are truly a bank for the people.”
Dr. Gilpin added that the anniversary celebrations are taking place nationwide across all RCBank branches, noting that the bank’s growth has created jobs, boosted lending, and strengthened Sierra Leone’s financial sector.
For RCBank staff, the experience was just as powerful. Michaela Dora Macauley, marketing manager, reflected on her pride in being part of the outreach, saying the bank has achieved a lot in finance and technology, but days like this “remind us why we do what we do.”
Head of Public Relations Aruna Dumbuya added that this year’s celebration deliberately shifted focus from honoring long-serving staff to direct community impact.
“Last year, we celebrated over 150 staff for long service. This year, we wanted to extend that joy to the vulnerable. It signals hope that life continues despite poverty and that RCBank is walking alongside the people.”
With 20 branches nationwide – and new ones recently opened in Cline Town and Waterloo – Rokel Commercial Bank continues to grow as a leader in Sierra Leone’s financial sector. But for those who lined up at Pademba Road and Mountain Cut this week, the bank’s legacy was measured not in numbers, but in meals, hope, and dignity.
As Fatmata Sesay summed it up: “We don’t forget those who remember us. Rokel has shown us love today.”
