CSR: UBA employees across Africa give back to their communities

UBA Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, on Friday, launched its Each One, Teach One initiative, hosting a huge impact day in Nigeria and across all its subsidiaries in Africa.

The UBA Community Service presents an opportunity for UBA staff members to give a little of their time and skills to their communities. All across the continent, staff members of the pan- African bank were seen within their communities, teaching and assisting the less priviledged.

UBA Group Managing Director,  Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, who attended the event in Lagos, Nigeria,  expressed his excitement over the initiative, adding that as a corporate entity, UBA, through the Foundation decided to give back as a family, starting by impacting knowledge to students and participants.

Uzoka, who is also the Chairman, UBA Foundation, said, “Our goal with this initiative is to help the under privileged and young children learn vocational skills that will assist them along the path to financial freedom as they start businesses of their own. We have therefore, created a platform to encourage people who have various skills and talents to pass this on to the younger generation.

Continuing, he said, “Interestingly, we have over 15,000 staff across the UBA network and we know that if each of them can teach two people, then a lot of people would be impacted with a lot of skills within a very short period’.

After engaging in a group reading session with the students, Uzoka seized the opportunity of the event to educate the youths and the students present, on Financial Literacy, and the gains of savings and investing from a young age.

“As a bank, we want students to inculcate the habit of savings, especially for the rainy day. It is important that you are cautious about the future, because nothing is guaranteed. Therefore ensure that you bear this in mind when you receive your allowance no matter how little.’ Uzoka said to the students who filled the Onikan Community centre in Lagos.

The Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Mrs. Bola Atta, who threw more light on the initiative stated that it is aimed at helping to impact lives positively and in a very meaningful way. She added that the initiative, which was going on simultaneously in Africa, was being driven by UBA staff members who were very happy to be giving back to society.

“At UBA Foundation, we really genuinely care about our communities and about doing good. I see how excited staff members are when they get involved in any of our CSR initiatives. There is something really gratifying about giving back. It helps the communities and helps you grow as an individual. Today was an extremely productive exercise’ said Atta.

The Group Head of Corporate Bank, Mr. Muyiwa Akinyemi and Regional Head, Lagos Bank 2, Mrs. Emem Usoro were also present at the event to encourage the students.

Thousands of UBA staff members across Africa voluntarily committed their time today to teaching youths various activities such as foreign languages, photography, tae kwon do, fashion design, martial arts, first aid, music and much more.

UBA, Africa’s global bank, is committed to being a socially responsible company and role model for all businesses in Africa. UBA recognises the need for a social contract between the bank, the community and its people.

As the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the UBA Group, UBA Foundation is committed to the socio-economic betterment of the communities in which the bank operates, focusing on development in the areas of Environment, Education, Economic Empowerment and Special Projects.