FAWE Ghana joins Mastercard Foundation Community Week 2024 Celebration, reaffirms power of partnerships in transforming young lives. ACCRA, Ghana - From 11 to 15 May, FAWE Ghana proudly joined the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana and other strategic partners at the 2026 Community Week Celebration, held at the Marriott Hotel in Airport City, Accra. The week-long event, convened under the theme *"Creating Impact Together,"* brought together a diverse array of stakeholders to celebrate collective achievements and to reaffirm the transformative power of collaboration in shaping the lives of young people across Africa. Representing FAWE Ghana, Ms. Dora Mochiah, Programs Officer, participated in a series of insightful engagements that highlighted how intentional, partnership-driven programming can yield sustainable and scalable impact. Throughout the celebrations, Ms. Mochiah engaged with fellow partners, young leaders, and Foundation representatives to exchange lessons learned and explore new avenues for deepening collaboration around girls' education, skills development, and youth empowerment. The event featured powerful remarks from Mastercard Foundation President and CEO, Ms. Sewit Ahderom, whose vision for youth-centred, partnership-led development resonated throughout the gathering. Equally compelling was the call to action issued by Mr. Paul Kasanga, Interim Country Director for the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana, who urged that young people must be engaged not merely as beneficiaries but as active partners and co-creators of change. From these addresses, one message stood out clearly: sustainable impact thrives on strong partnerships, shared purpose, and collective action. The Community Week Celebration provided a valuable platform for reflection, learning, and renewed commitment towards advancing opportunities for young people and communities across the continent. For FAWE Ghana, the week served as both an opportunity to showcase the organization's contributions under the FAWE/Mastercard Foundation Phase II Programme and to draw inspiration from the work of other partners dedicated to Africa's transformation. The engagements further strengthened FAWE Ghana's resolve to continue advocating for gender-transformative education and to ensure that the voices of young women and girls remain central to all partnership discussions. As the week concluded, FAWE Ghana left Accra with deepened relationships, fresh insights, and a reinvigorated commitment to creating impact together - because when partners unite around a shared vision for Africa's young people, the results are not only measurable but truly transformative. Facebook Twitter Youtube

Cameroonian entrepreneur Fongwa Vanessa Ngwi has secured $5,000 in startup funding from the Scholars Enterprise Fund under the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh, positioning her circular fashion startup Papylon at the centre of Africa’s fast-emerging sustainable textile economy. The award highlights a growing wave of African entrepreneurs attempting to solve one

Students receive laptops in push to bridge digital divide. Students enrolled in technical and vocational training programmes have received nearly 200 laptops under a scheme aimed at boosting digital skills and widening access to education. The initiative, led by the Forum for African Women Educationalists Zimbabwe (FAWEZI) in partnership with the government and the Mastercard Foundation saw 192 beneficiaries of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) bursary programme equipped with the devices. The handover ceremony, organised alongside the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, also marked a delayed commemoration of International Girls in ICT Day 2026. The event was held under the theme "AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future". Officials say the programme is part of broader efforts to make education more inclusive and technology-driven, particularly for disadvantaged young people. It also seeks to encourage greater participation by girls and young women in science and technology fields. Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Professor Fanuel Tagwira described the initiative as a practical step towards improving access to modern education. "This is more than a ceremonial event. It demonstrates a shared commitment to expanding access to quality, inclusive and technology-enabled education, especially for those from marginalised backgrounds." he said He added that digital devices were now essential tools in learning. "In this era driven by artificial intelligence and rapid technological advancement, access to laptops is no longer a luxury but a necessity. These devices are gateways to knowledge, innovation and opportunity." Professor Tagwira also highlighted the gender gap in science and technology, noting that women make up only about a third of students in such fields at university level. FAWEZI executive committee chairperson, Professor Ruth Gora said the laptops represented more than just equipment. "They symbolise opportunity, connectivity and empowerment," she said. "They will support academic journeys and enhance digital skills." Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mercy Dinha said the programme showed how partnerships could help tackle inequality. "By prioritising marginalised young women and men, this initiative is addressing barriers that have historically limited access to tertiary education," she said. Education officials say the devices will support research, improve learning experiences and enable access to online resources, while helping students develop essential digital skills. Beneficiaries are also being trained in the proper use and care of the laptops to ensure their long-term impact. The programme forms part of the "Second Chance Pathways" initiative, which aims to expand opportunities for disadvantaged young people and support Zimbabwe's goal of inclusive development.