To achieve its vision of “creating meaningful and sustainable social and civic impact”, UMB Foundation aims to focus on supporting initiatives in education, health and projects that celebrate and promote Ghanaian heritage and culture”.

Mrs Grace Amey-Obeng, the Board Chairperson, speaking at the launch of the Foundation said: “From the perspective of its corporate sponsors, UMB Bank and UMB Capital, UMB Foundation was created to give back to the beautiful nation of Ghana that has contributed to the success of both UMB Bank and UMB Capital.”

“Corporate philanthropy through the creation of foundations is an effective, strategic and sustainable method of providing necessary assistance in key areas of need,” she said.

Ms Yvonne Botchey, the Chief Executive Officer of UMB Foundation, provided an overview of the structure of UMB Foundation noted that UMB Foundation would be announcing its first key projects in each focus area. "We expect these projects to make a meaningful difference in the areas of education, health and the celebration and promotion of Ghanaian heritage and culture," she said.

Under each strategic focus areas the education aspects of the UMB Foundation, which would start with the Volta Region, would help to improve access to education for economically disadvantaged and/or special needs children through scholarship programmes.

She said it would also help to upgrade school facilities, supplies and infrastructure in neglected communities. She said the education component would also provide teacher motivation and capacity building programmes.

Touching on the health component, Ms Botchey said the initial project would cover the Northern and Upper West Regions. She said the project would assist in providing easy and quick access to quality health care, especially for women and children.

In addition, it would support the provision of improved medical facilities, supplies and resources. She said the project would assist those without financial means in the payment of medical treatment and services for critical health conditions.  On the celebration of Ghanaian Heritage and Culture, she said the initial project would cover the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.

Ms Botchey said it would support the restoration and maintenance of cultural sites, monuments and buildings. She said the project would also support the establishment of museums and libraries to preserve historical artefacts, information and to serve as a place of learning. Ms Botchey said while the head office of UMB Foundation would be based in Accra, UMB Foundation would sponsor projects throughout Ghana over time.

More specifically, she said the initial projects in health would target the Northern and Upper West regions, while education projects would focus on the Volta Region. She said the initial projects in the third focus area of celebration and promotion of Ghanaian heritage and culture would be organised in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions.

The UMB Foundation is governed by an independent four- member Board of Directors that are supported by sub-committees tasked to implement activities in each key focus area. The Board of Directors include Mr John Awuah, Chief Executive Officer UMB, Mrs Amey-Obeng, Nana Dr Michael Agyekum Addo and Ms Pearl Esuah-Mensah.

UMB Foundation is an independent philanthropic entity organised to streamline the corporate social responsibility initiatives of UMB Bank and UMB Capital. The mission of UMB Foundation is to create meaningful and sustainable social and civic impact by supporting projects in education, health and those initiatives that celebrate and promote Ghanaian heritage and culture.