THE Mastercard Foundation has announced a major expansion of its partnerships with the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) to provide support for more than 70,400 young women and girls across Africa. The initiative aims to tackle the financial and social barriers to education and entrepreneurship, with a $360 million investment over the next seven years, expected to benefit 3.3 million young women and men.
The funding will aid young women as they progress through education, entrepreneurship, or enter the workforce. Over the next six years, CAMFED will help transition 62,000 girls in Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Malawi into secondary and tertiary education, as well as employment and entrepreneurship. This collaboration will also seek to improve education systems for millions of other young people in these regions.
Similarly, the seven-year extension of the partnership with FAWE will boost access to tertiary education and vocational training for over 10,500 young people, primarily in Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, and several other African nations. The programme will offer bursaries for participants launching new businesses or innovating within existing ones. More than 500 accredited institutions will now be supported by FAWE, benefiting an estimated 1.2 million young women.
‘We’re proud to deepen our collaboration with CAMFED and FAWE,’ said Tina Muparadzi, Executive Director of Education & Transitions at the Mastercard Foundation. ‘This partnership is key to unlocking the potential of young women, who are crucial to Africa’s economic transition. We believe this initiative will create an inclusive and equitable environment, enabling the most vulnerable girls in society to thrive.’
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The Mastercard Foundation has a long-standing partnership with CAMFED, spanning over a decade. Together, they have improved access to secondary and higher education for over 35,000 young women, while creating opportunities for a further 35,000 to access dignified work. CAMFED CEO Angeline Murimirwa expressed her enthusiasm for this continued collaboration, saying, ‘This investment supercharges our ambitious vision for 2030. With this support, we will help millions more girls thrive in school and beyond, transforming education systems and economies across Africa.’
The Foundation’s partnership with FAWE, which began in 2013 as part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, has also achieved significant success. Over 70 percent of Scholars have transitioned into tertiary education, and 300 enterprises have been established through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund.
Martha Muhwezi, Executive Director of FAWE Africa, highlighted the importance of continuing this partnership. ‘This collaboration aligns with the Foundation’s Young African Works strategy and the Africa Union’s employment vision. We are excited to expand from three countries to 10, a testament to the programme’s impact. With ongoing support, we will scale to reach all 34 FAWE chapters across Africa.’
These partnerships are a vital part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young Africans, particularly girls, to secure dignified work by 2030.
