The Foundation was inspired by the life and career of Francis Faki Amanquah who was born in February 1965 in Kumasi, Ghana.
Following his secondary school education at Prempeh College, he attended the University of Science and Technology, (now the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), graduating with a Diploma in Data Processing in 1987.
He worked in the IT field throughout his career, spanning different positions and environments culminating in the position of VP, IT Audit at Credit Suisse, North Carolina, USA.
Mr. Amanquah passed away in 2020, aged 55, following a long illness. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
He believed that girls could excel in whatever they pursue as long as they are determined and work hard. He motivated his daughters to be the best in whatever they are passionate about and to reach for the stars.
Mercy Bruce-Amanquah is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Francis Faki Amanquah Foundation (FFAF). Mercy created the Foundation to keep the memory of her late husband alive while giving back to society.
Mrs. Bruce-Amanquah has always been interested in philanthropy and making a difference in other people’s lives. Her career in the human resource and administration space spans a period of 25 years.
She graduated with a Master’s Degree in Management Systems from the University of Hull in 1991 and has worked at KPMG Ghana, Fidelity Discount House (now Fidelity Bank), and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). In her spare time, she would volunteer with non-profits. She eventually joined the non-profit sector when she, Francis, and their two daughters relocated to the United States in 2013.
She began working in churches and higher education institutions until she took a break to take care of Mr. Amanquah as he was battling cancer.
While healing from Mr. Amanquah’s passing in 2020, Mrs. Bruce-Amanquah decided to create a foundation to connect her desire to honor her husband, her husband’s passion for computers, and their joint passion for service and women’s empowerment.
Outside of working on the Foundation, she is currently studying for a Certificate in Nonprofit Management.