Windhoek — The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) and First National Bank (FNB) Namibia last week launched the 2010 Bandana project in Windhoek.

Speaking at the event, CEO of FNB Namibia, Ian Leyenaar, said a bandana not only serves as a unisex fashion accessory, but also as a head covering for cancer patients when they start losing their hair due to chemotherapy.

"It has been found to be more comfortable than wigs or hats in the harsh Namibian climate," he said.

He added: "Cancer is an indiscriminate disease that targets any person, irrespective of race or creed".

He said working together with CAN, FNB deemed it appropriate to position its strong brand alongside its business philosophy of "how can we help you?" to reach out to Namibians diagnosed with cancer, "by offering our help and support as a caring organisation advocating health and wellness as a fundamental human right".

FNB Namibia has undertaken to elevate the fundraising effort to a higher level by once again involving all the FNB branches and staff countrywide to actively promote and sell bandanas to customers and the general public in their respective communities.

FNB Namibia is running the 'Reach Out' campaign at branches and in addition to all its the normal sales and the bank has incentivised the branches by offering a cash prize to the branch that sells the most bandanas.

For the seventh consecutive year, FNB Namibia supported the carnations against cancer project, and in 2008 FNB and CAN sponsored the resoundingly successful Cinderella musical opera.

Driven by one of its values, namely innovation, FNB Namibia, however, moved from music in 2009 to textiles, adopting a universal concept that is highly fashionable - bandanas.