One of Nigeria’s leading real estate firm, Sterling Homes, has offered free eye check-up, care, glasses, as well as cataract surgery for no fewer than 200 elderly persons, in commemoration of its 14th anniversary.
The beneficiaries of the gesture were majorly residents within Berger, Ojodu, Ogba, Ketu Isheri, Magodo, Arepo, Mowe, Simawa, Olowoira, and Ikeja areas of Lagos state.
Dr Kunle Adeyemi, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Sterling Homes, in an interview with newsmen at the event on Wednesday in Lagos, said that the gesture has part of the the company’s yearly Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR)initiative since its inception.
Adeyemi stated the company partnered with Eye Foundation Hospital to carry out the initiative which runs into millions of Naira, adding that one surgery of cataract for those who were affected costs not less than N750,000.
He noted that as a responsible organization, it is expedient on the real estate firm to always give back to the society, adding that every organizations should be measured by the level of their CSR, beyond making profit, as the government alone cannot do everything.
The developer explained that the firm decided to focus on vulnerable senior citizens with various eyes problems, as sight is one of the most important sense organs and help us to move and perform tasks.
Adeyemi mentioned that it is important to help those who cannot afford to pay for cataract surgery, as many people had become completely blind because they cannot afford to pay to remove cataracts from their eyes.
According to him, in previous years, the company gave scholarships, gadgets, back-to-school items to public primary school students in Mushin area, who were considered vulnerable and neglected.
Adeyemi said that the Sterling Homes had also empowered widows three years ago and gave them items such as sewing machine, grinding machines which has continued to help them meet up with daily needs.
The Sterling boss further said in 2023, the company focused on children with Down syndrome and kids with special needs to help improve their health condition.
“Sterling Homes has come this far by divine grace, but not with an idle hand. It has been 14 years of fantastic journey as we have had various experience trying to provide housing solutions for Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora.
“It gives me joy and brings fulfillment to see people and families smile during allocations of their landed properties or handling over of keys to their houses.
According to him, Sterling Homes has transcended beyond the shores of Nigeria and now providing housing solutions in the Eastern part of Africa.
“At the moment we are in Kigali under the umbrella of Sterling Apartment.
“We are presently at Tanzania, and looking at combing the other parts of Africa, as preparing to go for a visibility study in Morocco and Egypt by July in a bid to start business there too.
“We are passionate about creating value and housing solutions because we are a strong advocate of environment and believes that environment shapes the way people think.
“The Chances of a child raised in Ikoyi to succeed, seems higher than a child raised in Mushin or Ajegunle. That is why we provide homes in an ideal and conducive environment that appeal to excellence, with basic infrastructure in place to help positive growth of a child and an individual,”he said.
Looking ahead, Adeyemi stated that the firm is focusing on replicating housing solutions across African countries, especially to people at the base of the pyramid of housing scheme, as well as the middle and upper classes individuals.
He further said that Sterling Homes is presently in FCT, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo
and have provided housing solutions to over 5000 families in the past 14 years.
According to him, the firm is partnering with some other real estate developers in terms of Joint Ventures to penetrate the South-South and South-Eastern parts of the country before the end of the year.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Pastor Obasola Ajulo appreciated Sterling Homes for the intervention and prayed that God will continue to keep the management of the company in good health and prosper the establishment.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Oyelowo Adedoyin, lauded the process of the initiative, noting that the beneficiaries were attended to with respect and dignity, while praying that the firm would climb greater heights with more grace to function.
