Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni

Undergraduates

  • Retsepile Sello

    Retsepile won a competitive scholarship to study at Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa in Swaziland.  She has a great passion for…

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  • Phanes Scotch

    Scotch graduated from Kisumu Girl’s High School in Kenya, where she spent much of her spare time volunteering with children at the orphanage, a…

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  • Akua Sakyi

    Akua is a graduate of Holy Child High School in Ghana.  A talented athlete, sports have always been an important part of Akua’s life,…

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  • Juma Orach

    Fundamentally driven by the belief that “There is simply no greater, nobler purpose to science than the preservation of life”; Juma has been fascinated…

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  • Libia Niyodusenga

    Libia is a graduate of Liquidnet High School at Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, Rwanda.  A self-described curious person, he possesses an unquenchable thirst for knowledge,…

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  • Joseph Banda

    Joseph is a graduate of Chizongwe Technical Secondary School in Zambia. His keen interest in forestry and agriculture comes from his experience working to…

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  • Oluchukwu Nkiru Ani

    Ani has grown up in Nigeria, and believes that “there is no greater service than that to a fellow human.”  As a member of…

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  • Eddie Amaitum

    Eddie Amaitum strongly believes that Africa’s youth are key to finding solutions to some of the continent’s pressing challenges and must actively be engaged…

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  • Lynnet Akech

    Akech’s excellent academic performance earned her a Constituency Bursary to attend the Alliance Girls School in Kenya.  As straight-A student, she was consistently ranked…

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  • Sharon Shamuyarira

    As a student, Sharon won a full scholarship to attend Harare International School, from which she earned her IB Diploma and was named Salutatorian.…

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  • Neema Elsie Rimber

    Neema has proven to be a motivated, curious and diligent student. As a student at St Mary’s School, Nairobi, she emerged as the top…

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  • Agnes Ouko

    Agnes has been praised for her intellectual curiosity and academic integrity and has excelled in a variety of subjects: English, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.…

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Graduates

  • Abia Katimbo

    Faculty: Land and Food Systems Program: Master of Land and Water Systems Year: 2017 Country: Uganda Abia is very passionate about helping communities through the provision of solutions using his engineering and interpersonal skills. After completing his undergraduate degree, Abia was recruited as a research assistant at Makerere University to work at Smallholder Fortunes &…

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  • Ransford Danny Kofi Buah

    Faculty: Forestry Program: Master of Sustainable Forest Management Year: 2017 Country: Ghana Because of the financial hardships he experienced, Kofi has developed a concern for those who live in deprived communities and do not have the privilege of education. He envisages himself as a “philanthropist to bring smiles on the faces of poor underprivileged people…

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  • Adekunle James Omoboye

    Faculty: Land and Food Systems Program: Master of Food Science Year: 2018 Country: Nigeria Excellence, Mentorship, Determination, Dexterity and Integrity are the major key words suitable to describe the personality of James. He is a First Class Graduate from Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Nigeria where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Chemistry.…

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  • Oloruntobi Muniru

    Faculty: Forestry Program: Master of Sustainable Forest Management Year: 2018 Country: Nigeria Tobi is very passionate about ensuring sustainable development in Africa through good forest management. During her undergraduate education, she focused on encouraging indigenous people (especially youth) to participate in managing and rejuvenating existing forests, practice agroforestry, and climate-smart agriculture through her involvement with…

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  • Samuel Makinde

    Faculty: Land and Food Systems Program: Master of Land and Water Systems Year: 2018 Country: Nigeria From a young age, Samuel developed a high interest in reading, teaching and competition. He graduated with First Class with a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Akure in Nigeria (FUTA). Samuel’s passion for learning…

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  • Olatunbosun Ayetan

    Faculty: Land and Food Systems Program: Master of Land and Water Systems Year: 2018 Country: Nigeria Bosun is described by his supervisors as having a great drive for success as well as being exceptionally intelligent, hardworking, innovative and capable of analytical reasoning. He holds a Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology, in Crop, Soil and Pest…

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  • Samuel Arawu

    Faculty: Land and Food Systems Program: Master of Food Science Year: 2018 Country: Nigeria Passionate, excellent, determined, ambitious and honest, are just a few words that can be used to describe Arawu. Having grown up in Nigeria, he has witnessed the increasing rate of diabetes cancer and obesity. Arawu’s ultimate goal is to help the…

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  • Adeola Alle

    Faculty: Forestry Program: Master of Geomatic for Environmental Management Year: 2018 Country: Nigeria Adeola holds a Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Nigeria. It is here he came in contact first-hand with problems of inadequate qualitative and quantitative housing and standard of living data…

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  • Ademola Victor Adebayo

    Faculty: Forestry Program: Master of Sustainable Forest Management Year: 2018 Country: Nigeria Victor describes himself as a young, talented, and hardworking scholar who creates great passion for excellence in all his endeavours irrespective of the surrounding challenges and pressures. He obtained his Bachelor’s in Forestry and Wildlife Management from Federal University of Agriculture and ranked…

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  • Adewole Timilehin Adesoji

    Faculty: Forestry Program: Master of Sustainable Forest Management Year: 2019 Country: Nigeria Adewole is best described as an intelligent, reserved, and resilient individual. He graduated as the best student in his class from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Forest Resources Management. Over the years, Adewole has been an…

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  • Samuel Adeyanju

    Faculty: Forestry Program: Master of Forest and Conservation Sciences Year: 2017 Country: Nigeria Despite the distraction of financial hardship, Samuel performed at the highest level in each stage of his education, allowing him to “see a glorious future ahead coupled with his passion, hard work and commitment to achieve greatness.”  In addition to his commitment…

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  • Balanding Manneh

    Faculty: Medicine Program: Master of Public Health Year: 2018 Country: Gambia Balanding has made a life-long commitment to getting more knowledgeable on the topics of malnutrition, hunger, and disease. Balanding is a recent graduate of Arizona State University, where he pursed an honors degree in Biological Sciences (Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology) and a minor…

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