OUR PROGRAMMES

Expanding Access To Higher Education for Underserved Youth

Developed in partnership with Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Closing The Gap (CTG) programme supports Malaysia’s goal of equitable access to higher education. The initiative focuses on enabling high-potential youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to overcome systemic barriers and pursue ambitious academic pathways. Through structured mentoring, guidance and experiential learning, CTG equips students with the confidence, skills and resources to navigate their post-SPM journey (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, Malaysia’s national secondary school examination) — transforming aspirations into attainable goals.

In 2025, 65 scholars participated in the University Residential Camp at the University of Nottingham Malaysia. The immersive five-day programme exposed students to eight academic streams and offered 32 tutorial sessions that simulated real university classes. Participants also engaged in practical workshops covering résumé writing, scholarship interviews and presentation skills. By the end of the camp, 92% of students reported feeling better prepared to navigate their post-SPM pathways.

Beyond academic exposure, the camp also focused on strengthening essential life skills, helping students to develop critical thinking, teamwork and stress-management skills and equipping them with the confidence and resilience needed to thrive in higher education and their future careers.

To update Our Programmes into CIMB Foundation Website

Shaping Future Malaysian Leaders Across Universities in Malaysia

Launched in Malaysia in 2016, Be$MART is our flagship financial literacy initiative designed for university and college students, equipping them with essential financial planning skills. Delivered as a just-in-time programme, it engages youth at a pivotal transition point as they prepare to enter the workforce. Through engaging, interactive workshops, the programme equips participants with practical skills in budgeting, saving, investing, debt management, financial protection and fraud awareness.

Over the years, the programme has reached more than 23,000 students, including over 2,000 individuals across seven cohorts in 2025.

Be$MART was also replicated in Indonesia as a dedicated financial literacy programme for CIMB Niaga’s local university scholarship awardees. 41 awardees from 22 universities participated in the Be$MART Advance Level programme, which introduced investment concepts and money-laundering awareness, with support from the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center. Meanwhile, 42 awardees from 21 universities joined the Be$MART Basic Level programme, focusing on future financial planning and an introduction to the financial services industry.

To update Our Programmes into CIMB Foundation Website

Empowering Consumers and Fostering Meaningful Financial Inclusion

JagaDuit aims to promote financial health and inclusion to vulnerable group of customers by raising awareness of the importance of financial literacy.

Strengthening Financial Literacy for Youth Development

Through FINCO’s Good Sens, CIMB Foundation has adopted four schools to empower upper primary students with essential financial literacy skills, a crucial foundation for their transition to adulthood.

The CIMB ASEAN Scholarship is our commitment to fostering the next generation of ASEAN change-makers. The scholarship is open to ASEAN students and provides them with the opportunity to pursue tertiary education at top-tier institutions of their choice.

The Chevening Scholarship Programme is a UK government flagship global scholarship initiative administered by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and which UK government fully / jointly funds selected individuals to pursue a master’s degree in the UK. The UK government also partners with some corporates which fully / jointly fund the selected individuals to study for a UK master’s degree, often in specific areas that align with the organisational objectives and providing an opportunity to form long-lasting, positive relationships with emerging talent and influencers in the industry.

To date, CIMB has funded 32 scholars under the CIMB-Chevening programme. 

Remediating Learning: Empowering 65 Teachers, Inspiring 39,000 Students

In partnership with Teach for Malaysia, the Novice Teacher Programme i.e. a 3-year leadership development program, recruits 65 novice teachers to bring innovative education to high-need government schools. Targeting rural locations in Perak and Selangor, this initiative aims to inspire 39,000 students, fostering leadership and transforming educational experiences.

Meanwhile, the Program Komuniti Perkasa is a continuation effort since 2021 aiming to motivate students and engage parents in supporting children’s learning and leadership skills at 4 PPRs.

Empowering 30 Orang Asli Students for Success

This 3-month coaching and mentoring program supported 30 Orang Asli students in Form 4 from Banting, Selangor, with relevant personal development skills for educational attainment. This included boosting their self-confidence and self-esteem, fostering a growth mindset to encourage enjoyment of learning, increasing school attendance, reducing dropouts and helping these students pursue their passions and goals with greater purpose and meaning.

Delivering Health Screenings and Kidney Disease Prevention to Rural Communities

Mobile Health Screening & Am I Healthy Community Programme is a collaboration between CIMB Foundation and National Kidney Foundation (NKF) aiming to outreach to the underprivileged communities in the suburban and rural areas to promote early intervention, detection and prevention of kidney and kidney associated diseases, via NKF’s mobile facilities. In an effort to heighten the impact of the programme, repeat health screenings at 2 communities are included, targeting individuals with high-risk factors of contracting non-communicable diseases.

Clear Vision, Bright Futures for 3,500 Students

Through the 20/20 Perfect Vision Programme “Visi Celik, Belajar Cerdik”, approximately 20,000 underprivileged students in Terengganu, Johor and Sabah will undergo free eye screening, with up to 3,500 pairs of free eye-glasses will be given to students who require eye refractive correction solutions. This programme aims facilitate better learning experience and improve academic performance during the students’ crucial development of foundational skills.

Facilitating Equitable Access to Healthcare

Through Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF)’s Sarawak Health Access Programme, Miri (SHAPE, Miri), CIMB Foundation is facilitating access to medical treatment for about 170 individuals from Miri, Limbang and Lawas, Sarawak, by ensuring they are able to receive care at Miri Hospital or other government-run healthcare facilities within the Division.

Supporting Inclusive Gowth in Underserved Communities

The Santuni MADANI, Satu Pemimpin Satu Kampung initiative is a Malaysian community-centred programme under the broader Malaysia MADANI framework, designed to strengthen socio-economic development in underserved and rural communities. The initiative encourages leaders and agencies to adopt specific villages or communities, engage residents in dialogue to understand their socio-economic needs and work collaboratively on lasting solutions.

CIMB has pledged RM3.6 million in support of community programmes and services over two years, aiming to benefit around 9,000 residents across four public housing areas in the Klang Valley — PPR Pinggiran Bukit Jalil, PPR Lembah Subang, Perumahan Awam Seri Selangor, and PPR Seri Alam.

We have started engaging local leaders in these communities to understand their needs and how we can support them through our programmes developed with partners. We aim to address multiple community needs holistically through 11 programmes that range from entrepreneurship and income generation training (including iTEKAD Program Keusahawanan CIMB Islamic-Taylor, iTEKAD CIMB Islamic Rider Enterpreneur Programme and CIMB MicroBizReady), to upskilling in sewing and micro-enterprise development and education support through free tuition, teacher training and literacy initiatives.

To update Our Programmes into CIMB Foundation Website

Sustaining Lives with Clean Water Access

The Gravity Water Programme in Ranau, Sabah aimed at supplying clean piped water from mountain springs directly to 98 homes in three rural villages and one school in partnership with Rotary Club of Likas Bay. This initiative positively impacts approximately 500 villagers in Kampung Mohimboyon and Kampung Togoyop, as well as 120 students at Sekolah Kebangsaan Paginatan.

Supporting Communities with Emergency Food Aid.

Since 2021, CIMB Foundation has partnered with Kembara Kitchen to provide food assistance to communities affected by disasters. In 2025, we enabled the supply of 90,000 ready-to-eat Hero Meals in Malaysia, representing a 12.5% increase from 2024. With a two-year shelf life, these nutritious meals are stockpiled for rapid deployment, reducing food waste while providing efficient, life-saving relief during crises.

To update Our Programmes into CIMB Foundation Website

Pedaling Progress for 100 Orang Asli Students

CIMB Foundation provided bicycles to 100 Orang Asli students in Gombak, Selangor, to reduce their travel hardships to attend school and boost their interest in learning and studying.

Illuminating Lives with Solar Power

CIMB Foundation supported the installation of solar-powered lighting in 7 Orang Asli villages in remote Perak and Negeri Sembilan, benefiting about 500 villagers.  This project entailed the successful installation of 130 units of Home Solar Lighting, 28 units of solar streetlights, and 1 unit of communal solar lighting system, in partnership with Saora Industries.  By providing access to sustainable lighting, we improve the quality of life for these communities, offering 8 hours of light daily and enhancing night-time safety.

Back-To-School programme

The CIMB Foundation Back-To-School Programme, which began in 2011, aims to alleviate the financial burden of B40 families by providing back to school necessities for their children.

Empowering Micro and Nano-Entrepreneurs

CIMB MicroBiz Ready Entrepreneurship Programme, which began in 2020, is a specialized entrepreneurship initiative centered on digitalisation skills enhancement and financial access education to facilitate the growth and development growth of micro and nano-entrepreneurs. This year, a total of 120 micro and nano-entrepreneurs of low income backgrounds from Klang Valley, Perlis and Johor will receive various support to foster their business development and sustainability.

Supporting Women To Create and Grow Home-Based Businesses.

In collaboration with Komuniti Tukang Jahit, a community-based network of local tailors, the Upskill Sewing Programme empowered women from underserved and low-income communities in the Klang Valley with advanced sewing skills, exposure to design innovation and opportunities for a new income stream.

The programme onboarded 34 participants, of whom 22 completed the training. Among the graduates, 18 continued to take sewing orders, with an average monthly earning of RM494, nearly double the initial target. The majority of graduates can now produce commercial-grade products and a few are ready to expand into home-based enterprises.

To update Our Programmes into CIMB Foundation Website

Inclusive Growth for 10 Special Needs Youths

Our collaboration with Infinite Minds Academy empowers 10 special needs youths from B40 backgrounds with essential digital skills in graphic design, animation, and more, to enable them to gain employment opportunities and financial independence.

Strengthening Skills Through Real-World Tech Learning

In partnership with the Forest Interactive Foundation, CIMB supported the #seKODlah TecHive Digital Technology Upskilling Programme to develop Malaysia’s talent pool for the technology and innovation sectors. This initiative included workshops and activities such as TechBoot Camp and Hackathons, combining coding, data analytics and problem-solving with exposure to real industry practices.

In 2025, the programme benefitted 34 participants, providing them with technical and soft skills for the digital economy, with participants reporting greater motivation and a sense of purpose after applying their new skills to real-world projects. Following the programme, 23 out of 34 participants received job offers and half are now employed in the digital sector.

To update Our Programmes into CIMB Foundation Website

Empowering Local Communities as Future Marine Conservation Leaders

The Building Marine Conservation Leaders program aims to empower local communities and increase their involvement in marine resource management by training future conservation leaders. This initiative promotes shared responsibility for sustainably managing marine resources.

Thinking Big with Management of Elephants and Grasses

CIMB Foundation supported the expansion of managed grasslands and mineral sources at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah, aiming to encourage the presence of Bornean elephants within the reserve and reduce elephant-human conflicts. This effort was undertaken in partnership with the Borneo Rhino Alliance Bhd (BORA).  We are encouraged by the increased presence of elephant herds in the area proving the success of this active and targeted management of natural habitats for wildlife conservation.

Mangrove Conservation Initiative

The CIMB-UKM Mangrove Conservation initiative includes the restoration and rehabilitation of mangroves through planting and nursing of 7,000 mangroves to protect the marine and coastal ecosystems, as well as the coastline. The initiative involves three-pronged areas which are education and awareness on mangroves, mangrove habitat restoration and enhanced research and development dedicated to the protection of mangroves.

Community Link

Employees also have the opportunity to engage in voluntary work in these programmes, and building strong relationships with communities across the nation.

Enhancing Care for Neonatal Patients

CIMB Foundation has provided hospital equipment support for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Paediatrics Department of Hospital Teluk Intan, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Teluk Intan, Perak to help the hospital enhance their critical care services for the fragile and precious newborns.

Supporting ‘Wira Jantung’

CIMB Foundation supported the ‘Wira Jantung’ project in collaboration with Yayasan Jantung Kongenital Malaysia, to provide much-needed and life changing medical equipment to the paediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic departments of University Malaya Medical Centre and Hospital Serdang, to assist them with the treatment of congenital heart disease patients.

Cultivating Success with Mushroom Farming

In partnership with Malaysian Institute of Sustainable Agriculture, we supported the establishment of a mushroom farm and compost center infrastructure, along with providing essential cultivation skills training to underprivileged single mothers and youths to empower them to generate sustainable income through mushroom and compost sales and become successful agriculture entrepreneurs.

Nourishing 500 Families in Need

In collaboration with Pertubuhan Kebajikan Skuad Senyum, our Foodbank Project provided essential supplies to benefit 500 Orang Asli families in Pos Piah, Perak. This initiative offered relief during the poor harvests and rainy season, ensuring the community’s sustenance.