Mastercard Foundation Celebrates Decade of Developing Young Leaders

The Mastercard Foundation celebrates the decennial anniversary of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Launched in 2012, the Program began as a $500 million initiative to develop the next generation of leaders who would drive social and economic transformation. The Program identifies talented young people from economically disadvantaged and hard-to-reach communities, primarily in Africa, and supports their secondary and higher education as well as leadership development.

Initially, the Program aimed to support 15,000 young people. Over the last decade, the Mastercard Foundation has deployed $1.7 billion through the initiative to benefit nearly 40,000 young people, over 72 percent of whom are young women. To date, 18,544 young people have graduated from secondary and higher education.

“Through a network of extraordinary partners, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is enabling thousands of bright and deserving young people to access quality education and develop as leaders who give back to their communities and help to improve the lives of others. Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni are leaders and innovators; activists and entrepreneurs; tackling everything from climate change to health inequity. Their collective impact will be felt for generations to come, “said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.

“Throughout my journey as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, it has always been about being a better version of yourself so that you can go back to your community and help others, ”said Joanna Gunab, who is now a medical doctor practicing in Northern Ghana. Joanna, a young woman living with a disability, also runs an initiative to support students with basic school necessities.