Mastercard Foundation
250 Yonge St. M5B 2L7 Toronto, ON, Canada

COVID-19 has created enormous disruptions in the lives of African youth. Millions of young people have had their learning put on hold for the better part of a year. As the global workforce is increasingly being dominated by young Africans, an increase in secondary education is necessary for Africans to take advantage of the economic opportunity. This article highlights four key suggestions from Mastercard Foundation’s report - Secondary Education in Africa: Preparing Youth ...for the Future of Work on how to improve secondary education in Africa: Investing in training and equipping teachers with the needed resources to train students. Invest in skills to prepare students for the labour market. Create clear pathways that link education to job prospects. Secondary education should be made accessible to youth living in remote and rural communities. Read more - https://bit.ly/3tRFjsM

A new kind of scholarship scams are on the rise and targeting young Africans. Scammers recently used information copied from the Mastercard Foundation’s website to lure young people to make payment as part of the process to secure the fake scholarships. Please be cautious when sharing any personal information or make any payments online. If you are unsure about if an opportunity to apply the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is legit, please get in touch with us. ... https://bit.ly/3x2LzzY

COVID-19 has disrupted learning for over 250M children and youth in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to UNESCO. This is in addition to 97M children and youth not enrolled in education systems prior to COVID-19. A return to ‘normal’ is not an option. We must reform and rebuild education systems that are inclusive and accessible for all. https://bit.ly/2McbqCr

Conflict and displacement should not be barriers for young Africans to access tertiary education. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, in partnership with UNHCR Ghana, will provide 370 young African refugees with scholarships to access tertiary education. It has been my prayer all these years that an opportunity like this will come my way to pursue further learning and improve myself. I feel extremely happy to have this scholarship - Eric Mardochee. A young refugee fro...m Cote dÍvoire. Learn more - https://bit.ly/2OShIsK

Street art is powerful tool for personal expression, creativity, and activism. Visual Aided Stories, a youth-led initiative in Tanzania uses COVID-19 inspired street art to raise awareness on the virus and support local talent. Read more: https://bit.ly/3vcczv7

Apply to be a part of the new Mastercard Foundation Alumni Network Leadership Committees in Senegal, Kenya, and North America. The Alumni Network is the culmination of our vision to connect alumni from our programs to be a force for change. Apply today to lead and support a team that will drive lasting change in their communities and countries: https://bit.ly/2TVGGpW

When young people are empowered to ask questions about real-world problems, and are supported to find their own solutions, they develop the capacity for critical thinking. Learn how highly trained teaching professionals can help to unlock the power of young people through education in order to help African nations achieve their vision of becoming advanced, knowledge-based economies: https://bit.ly/2GvmXdS

The Mastercard Foundation Alumni Network is the culmination of our vision to mobilize the alumni from our programs to be a force for change. Click here to meet the members of the Rwanda Alumni Network Leadership Committee: https://bit.ly/3jGxPmG

This year’s winner of the 2020 Anzisha Prize is Alaa Moatamed, a young female entrepreneur whose venture, Presto, provides business owners with an affordable and convenient delivery service for customers. Congratulations! Learn more about Presto and the runner ups here: https://bit.ly/2HJo6Pl #Anzisha2020 #Anzisha10 #AnzishaEffect

In 2021, we’ll be launching Mastercard Foundation Alumni Networks in Senegal, Kenya, and North America and will soon be looking for individuals interested in being a part of the Leadership Committee. The Alumni Network is the culmination of our vision to connect alumni from our programs to be a force for change. Find out more about current Alumni Networks and our vision for bringing young people together to make a real difference in their communities and countries: https://bit.ly/2Tknxhd