The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program is a $500 million, 10-year initiative that aims to provide comprehensive scholarships and leadership development support to 15,000 young people in sub-Saharan Africa. The program seeks to educate and train students who demonstrate academic talent, social consciousness, and a drive for positive social change. It is implemented through partnerships with 20 NGOs and universities across Africa. A pilot program called Akwanya Initiative has shown that disadvantaged students can succeed given the right support, such as financial aid, mentorship networks, and opportunities to study in cohorts with other scholarship recipients.

1. Going 'Beyond Education’:
Piloting a New Scholarship Model in
Sub-Saharan Africa
14 March 2014

2. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program
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3. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program:
Context and Programmatic Need
Developing countries have achieved a remarkable expansion
in educational enrolment, however:
 Enrolment in secondary and tertiary education remains low, particularly
among poor and rural populations
 There are concerns about access to quality and relevant education,
even as demand for an educated workforce increases
 Many skilled graduates migrate to higher-income countries for better
remuneration and working conditions
 International scholarship programs too often contribute to brain drain
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4. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program
 $500 million, 10-year initiative to educate and support 15,000 young
people – particularly from Africa – to act as “socially transformative
leaders,” driving change and making a positive social impact in their
communities
 11,000 secondary-level Scholarships; 6,000 tertiary-level
 Target population: youth who have demonstrated academic
talent, social consciousness and an orientation toward leadership, and
who come from highly disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds
 Implemented with and through a global network of 20 NGOs and
secondary and tertiary education institutions, which select and directly
support the Scholars
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5. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program:
Program Components
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Comprehensive scholarships
Transition support
21st-century skill building
Give-back component
Alumni network

6. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program:
Akwanya Initiative
• Pilot program, 2012-2015: 85 Scholars
• Recruitment partners on the continent who nominate suitable candidates
• University partners invest at least 50% of the financial support for each
Scholar
• Matching ‘placement’ with universities based on Scholars’ academic and
professional goals, optimum learning and community environment, etc.
• Full-time program staff dedicated to supporting Akwanya Scholars in
university and throughout their personal/professional development
• Integration into the wider MasterCard Foundation Scholars network
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7. Akwanya: Progress and Lessons Learned
• 51 Scholars from 22 countries, with another 25 joining in August
• Studying at 16 tertiary institutions in eight countries
• Early lessons learned
• The ‘cohort’ is key – students benefit in many ways from having fellow
Scholars on campus (and ‘solo’ Scholars have struggled)
• Relatively small financial incentives from the program make it attractive
and viable for universities with limited funding to engage
• Leveraging recruitment partners ensures a very high-quality applicant
pool
• Under-resourced international students are just as capable of success,
given the right support
• There is potential for incredible growth (high # of potential Scholars and
of interested university partners)
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8. Contacts
Barry Burciul
 bburciul@mastercardfdn.org
Laura Kaub
 lkaub@africanleadershipacademy.org
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