In the challenging African higher education system, financial and social impediments often thwart the aspirations of many students. However, a beacon of hope has emerged for University of the Western Cape (UWC) students who have been selected as part of the Class of 2024 for the awarding of comprehensive scholarships in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
The Program is an initiative of the Mastercard Foundation, designed to produce the next generation of transformative leaders in Africa, and is being implemented in partnership with the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Initiated in 2012, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a global initiative that seeks to cultivate the leadership potential of highly talented and service-oriented young people whose access to higher education is impeded by economic and social barriers. The Program places particular emphasis on supporting young women, refugees, forcibly displaced youth, and persons with disabilities.
The first cohort for 2024, consisting of 35 master’s degree and 15 undergraduate degree scholars, joins 20 master’s degree scholars who joined the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program last year as part of a total of 500 Mastercard Foundation Scholars who will receive scholarships through the Program at UWC.
The Program commenced in July 2023 and will run until June 2030. The partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and UWC is not just focused on alleviating financial and social barriers. It is committed to enabling young people from Africa to pursue higher education and emerge as transformative agents of change.
The Program is structured towards holistic development provided to the Mastercard Foundation Scholar, with the core academic program complemented by a Wrap-Around Support Program (WASP) geared towards their health and welfare, support for academic success, community-engaged learning, entrepreneurial development, transition to the world of work (including internships), leadership development, and alumni engagements and networks.
At the recent onboarding event for the Class of 2024 held on 01-02 February 2024, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Development and Support, Professor Matete Madiba, emphasised to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars the importance of seizing the opportunities provided by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
She encouraged the Mastercard Foundation Scholars to envision themselves as high-level problem solvers and future Nobel Peace Prize winners.
“When financial and social barriers are removed out of your way, you do not have any excuse but to succeed. And when you succeed, believe me, your success is our success,” said Professor Madiba.
She continued: “Therefore, our expectations of you are very high. We are looking forward to you going through this journey and ending up in a position where you are taking the responsibility to solve the many societal problems that are out there in South Africa, on the continent, and in the world”.
Ms Basirat Agboola, Lead, Partner Networks at the Mastercard Foundation, emphasised the commitment of the Foundation to producing the future leaders of the African continent, underpinned by the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to learn, thrive and prosper. In doing so, she pointed out that the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has a global reach and is implemented by the Foundation in partnership with some 40 universities worldwide.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Director at UWC, Ms Carol Ojwang, echoed these sentiments.
She emphasised the Program's focus on fostering transformative leadership. "Your experience as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar will foster your values system, your leadership potential, social responsibility, and practicing the values of humanity, integrity, courage, resilience, deep listening, and collaboration to make a meaningful impact."
The day concluded with an introduction to the WASP project. UWC WASP Team members provided brief overviews of the various activities in which the Mastercard Foundation Scholars will participate, including Transformative Leadership – Agency and Voice, Community - Engaged Learning, and Becoming Agents of Change through Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Ms Bronwyn Witbooi, who is pursuing a Master of Arts in linguistics and is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar selected in the Program’s first cohort, said the experience has been “awesome so far”. “I got to learn from a different group of like-minded individuals. Thank you to the Mastercard Foundation for removing the social barriers we face and making it easier for us to achieve our goals and attain our prospects for the future. With the new group who joined us, I’m excited and look forward to seeing what lies ahead and supporting one another emotionally, socially, mentally, and most importantly, academically”.
The Program is an initiative of the Mastercard Foundation, designed to produce the next generation of transformative leaders in Africa, and is being implemented in partnership with the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Initiated in 2012, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a global initiative that seeks to cultivate the leadership potential of highly talented and service-oriented young people whose access to higher education is impeded by economic and social barriers. The Program places particular emphasis on supporting young women, refugees, forcibly displaced youth, and persons with disabilities.
The first cohort for 2024, consisting of 35 master’s degree and 15 undergraduate degree scholars, joins 20 master’s degree scholars who joined the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program last year as part of a total of 500 Mastercard Foundation Scholars who will receive scholarships through the Program at UWC.
The Program commenced in July 2023 and will run until June 2030. The partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and UWC is not just focused on alleviating financial and social barriers. It is committed to enabling young people from Africa to pursue higher education and emerge as transformative agents of change.
The Program is structured towards holistic development provided to the Mastercard Foundation Scholar, with the core academic program complemented by a Wrap-Around Support Program (WASP) geared towards their health and welfare, support for academic success, community-engaged learning, entrepreneurial development, transition to the world of work (including internships), leadership development, and alumni engagements and networks.
At the recent onboarding event for the Class of 2024 held on 01-02 February 2024, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Development and Support, Professor Matete Madiba, emphasised to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars the importance of seizing the opportunities provided by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
She encouraged the Mastercard Foundation Scholars to envision themselves as high-level problem solvers and future Nobel Peace Prize winners.
“When financial and social barriers are removed out of your way, you do not have any excuse but to succeed. And when you succeed, believe me, your success is our success,” said Professor Madiba.
She continued: “Therefore, our expectations of you are very high. We are looking forward to you going through this journey and ending up in a position where you are taking the responsibility to solve the many societal problems that are out there in South Africa, on the continent, and in the world”.
Ms Basirat Agboola, Lead, Partner Networks at the Mastercard Foundation, emphasised the commitment of the Foundation to producing the future leaders of the African continent, underpinned by the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to learn, thrive and prosper. In doing so, she pointed out that the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has a global reach and is implemented by the Foundation in partnership with some 40 universities worldwide.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Director at UWC, Ms Carol Ojwang, echoed these sentiments.
She emphasised the Program's focus on fostering transformative leadership. "Your experience as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar will foster your values system, your leadership potential, social responsibility, and practicing the values of humanity, integrity, courage, resilience, deep listening, and collaboration to make a meaningful impact."
The day concluded with an introduction to the WASP project. UWC WASP Team members provided brief overviews of the various activities in which the Mastercard Foundation Scholars will participate, including Transformative Leadership – Agency and Voice, Community - Engaged Learning, and Becoming Agents of Change through Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Ms Bronwyn Witbooi, who is pursuing a Master of Arts in linguistics and is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar selected in the Program’s first cohort, said the experience has been “awesome so far”. “I got to learn from a different group of like-minded individuals. Thank you to the Mastercard Foundation for removing the social barriers we face and making it easier for us to achieve our goals and attain our prospects for the future. With the new group who joined us, I’m excited and look forward to seeing what lies ahead and supporting one another emotionally, socially, mentally, and most importantly, academically”.
