University of Rwanda (UR), on March 7, 2025, welcomed and celebrated the new cohort of 196 Mastercard Foundation Scholars, comprising 160 undergraduate scholars and 36 Scholars in the Master's degree programme. The University of Rwanda (UR) is a partner in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme, implementing the programme to provide scholarships and support to Mastercard Foundation Scholars. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme at the University of Rwanda is a 10-year partnership (2021-2031) between the University of Rwanda and the Mastercard Foundation that aims to develop the next generation of transformative leaders by enabling highly talented, service-oriented young people, primarily young Africans, to pursue higher education and cultivate their leadership potential. The programme provides comprehensive support, covering tuition, accommodation, living expenses, and leadership development opportunities, psychosocial support and all needed learning materials empowering scholars to excel academically and contribute back meaningfully to their communities. The programme prioritizes women mostly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), refugees, displaced youth from conflict-affected regions, and individuals with disabilities. The reception and scholarship award ceremony, where 196 newly selected scholars were officially awarded their scholarships, took place at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village (KCEV). The programme supports young Africans, particularly those facing social and economic barriers to higher education, to pursue their academic potential and become transformative leaders, according to Assoc. Prof. Anne-Marie Kagwesage, the Programme Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Rwanda (UR). In addition to university courses delivered by lecturers, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program provides them with excellent leadership training and values and other key skills through dedicated mentors. They also receive guidance on business idea development to help them tap into opportunities and transition effectively to other pathways, including employment, creation of own ventures or further studies, she said. She added that the programme expects scholars to develop themselves, their families, their countries and Africa in general. We are preparing them to be competitive in the international labor market, beyond Rwanda and the African continent. They should become job creators and employ others instead of being job seekers, Kagwesage said. The programme aims to enable young Africans to secure dignified and fulfilling employment and contribute to the continent's growth. The Mastercard Foundation Country Director, Mr. Elisee Kamanzi said The Mastercard Foundation believes that by supporting youth through education, they become agents of change. “ Our partnership with the University of Rwanda began with co-creation, grew through collaboration now we are co-succeeding.” He added. University of Rwanda Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Didas Kayihura Muganga, warmly welcomed the new scholars, emphasizing the university’s dedication to fostering academic excellence, leadership development, and community impact. They will be trained to achieve excellence. They need soft skills, leadership skills, confidence-building, financial literacy, among others, and must make use of them. The Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) is based on a knowledge-based economy, in which scholars have to play a role. The Mastercard Foundation is providing the necessary resources to help achieve that, as its program seeks transformational leaders, he said. Eng. Pascal Gatabazi, the Chief Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Education, who spoke on behalf of the education minister at the event, said the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is contributing to building Rwanda's bright future. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme has been a beacon of hope, creating pathways for talented young people across Africa and Rwanda to access world-class education and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities, he said. Opportunity to connect with mentors and peers Throughout the evening of the reception and scholarship award ceremony, scholars had the opportunity to connect with mentors, peers, and distinguished guests, reinforcing the program’s goal of nurturing a strong network of young African leaders. Theogene Hakizimana, a visually impaired Mastercard Foundation scholar at the University of Rwanda, College of Education, stated: It is a great opportunity I have received. I couldn’t imagine that I would receive the scholarship. The support has touched my heart. I am happy to be among those who are being facilitated to achieve my goals. Disability is not inability. I will prove that. I am studying English and Kinyarwanda with education at UR, thanks to the scholarship at Nyagatare campus. Liliane Dusengimana, another Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Rwanda added: The programme will help me in terms of personal growth through leadership training, in addition to financial support. We also received living allowances and laptops to help us with our studies. Mary Suzane, a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Rwanda from Kenya, pursuing Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, expressed her ambition to excel in the field. She is determined to become a leading expert and leverage her knowledge to contribute meaningfully to both Rwanda and her home country. From 2021 to 2031, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Rwanda will admit 1,200 scholars. This diverse group will include 70% females, 25% refugees and displaced youth from conflict-affected regions, and 10% individuals with disabilities. Currently, the programme has already admitted nearly 500 scholars.
