Being a Mastercard Foundation Scholar means being resilient in the face of challenges, community-minded, and a visionary leader. It means acknowledging the privilege it is to be educated and recognizing the need to use that education to better the lives of our families, communities & continent.
Some of the values that the foundation added to my life are values for Community, Connection and Collaboration. Being a Scholar has taught me the importance of community and to use that community as a resource for building meaningful connections and collaborations. This isn’t only limited to school projects, but most importantly, outside of school. Being community-focused has enabled me to connect with other scholars using platforms like the McGill Dobson Cup Competition to create innovative ways to contribute to the continent.
I hope by 2030, Mastercard Foundation Scholars would be at the forefront of national & international development and pioneers in creating innovative solutions to outstanding problems in their respective countries, Africa, and the world as a whole. A world in which Mastercard scholars are living by the values they believe in, breaking societal barriers, and driving positive change in both public and private sectors is what I hope would be the Foundation’s legacy.
Ndey Yassin Camara (The Gambia)
Undergraduate Mastercard Foundation Scholar (2018-2021)
