University of Rwanda (UR) has welcomed 422 new Mastercard Foundation Scholars while celebrating the graduation of 38 students from the program’s first cohort, marking key milestones in a decade-long partnership aimed at developing the next generation of transformative leaders, through supporting young Africans to access quality education and cultivate their leadership potential. The double celebration, combining the Vice Chancellor’s reception for newly admitted Mastercard Foundation scholars and a graduation ceremony was held on January 23 at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village (KCEV). The annual event brought together Scholars, UR leadership, representatives from the Mastercard Foundation and program partners, offering a platform to exchange views on the program’s strengths, stakeholder roles and expectations, as well as to foster connections within the growing Mastercard Foundation Scholars’ community. UR is implementing the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme under a 10-year partnership (2021–2031), aligned with Rwanda’s National Transformation Strategy. Through the initiative, the university will recruit 1,400 academically talented but facing socio-economic barriers from Rwanda and across Africa, drawn from three priority categories: young women (70 per cent), youth with disabilities (10 per cent) and refugees (25 per cent). The program provides comprehensive support covering recruitment, preparation, education, transition to employment, and post-graduation engagement. Addressing the scholars, UR’s Acting Vice Chancellor, Associate Professor Kayihura Muganga Didas urged the new cohort to pursue excellence defined not only by academic credentials but also by character and purpose. “Excellence here is not defined by credentials alone, but by character, discipline, and purpose,” Prof. Kayihura said. “Cultivate intellectual curiosity, ethical integrity, and a deep sense of public responsibility. Align your personal ambitions with Rwanda’s collective aspirations, because knowledge that does not serve society remains incomplete.” He described the graduates as proof that targeted investment in talent delivers tangible results, noting that graduation marks a transition into service rather than an end point. “The country expects from you leadership that is competent, principled, and transformative. Translate theory into practice, research into solutions, and opportunity into impact, especially at the grassroots,” he said, adding that international students, refugees and learners with disabilities enrich UR’s academic ecosystem as partners in knowledge creation. Associate Professor Anne Marie Kagwesage, Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UR, said 970 scholars are currently enrolled across all colleges and campuses of the university. “The programme is on track to train 1,400 scholars, including 200 under the national 4×4 programme aimed at accelerating the production of health professionals over the next four years,” she said, noting that the investment aligns with Rwanda’s human capital and health systems priorities. She added that the impact is already evident, with scholars demonstrating strong academic performance and many graduates progressing to competitive master’s and PhD programmes, securing international scholarships or gaining employment soon after graduation. Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Dieudonné Dushimirimana, a finance graduate and Mastercard Foundation Scholar, thanked the foundation for investing not only in education but also in personal growth. “You saw potential where others saw need,” he said. “Your support, mentorship and training strengthened our abilities and taught us how to lift others as transformative leaders.” He highlighted scholars’ community give-back initiatives, including renovating houses for vulnerable families in districts such as Huye, paying health insurance, donating livestock, and delivering practical training in financial literacy, hygiene and conflict resolution. For newly recruited scholars, the program represents a gateway to opportunity. Aime Elvine Utuje Kamikazi, 19, a first-year architecture student at UR’s College of Science and Technology, said the support will enable her to pursue her dream career. “They are covering my essentials, including living expenses, and providing materials for hands-on projects aligned with our syllabus,” she said. “We also participate in training sessions and transformative conferences, which fully prepare us for the future.” Ivan Ntwali, Country Director for the Mastercard Foundation in Rwanda, said the foundation has worked in the country since 2009 and has supported more than 150,000 young people to access work opportunities through partnerships with government and other institutions. He noted that globally, the foundation has awarded over 57,000 scholarships in partnership with more than 66 organisations, with 71 per cent benefiting young women. “Our partnership with the University of Rwanda reflects what is possible when institutions share a commitment to equity, excellence and impact,” Ntwali said. Pascal Gatabazi, Chief Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Education and Guest of Honor at the event, commended the Mastercard Foundation’s work in Rwanda and its partnership with the University of Rwanda in supporting young people to pursue higher education and unlock their leadership potential. “The University of Rwanda is at the heart of Rwanda’s development and transformation. I urge Scholars to apply the knowledge and skills they acquire to contribute meaningfully to the country’s sustainable development.”
