Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program marks International Women's Day

Nancy is a social entrepreneur and the Executive Director of Empower HER Initiative (EHI), an organization in Kenya dedicated to empowering women and girls, particularly in rural and underserved areas. With over 5 years of experience in Gender and Development, Nancy leads programs that integrate entrepreneurship, leadership development, business skills, and menstrual health support to address the needs of women and girls. Under her leadership, EHI has introduced innovative solutions like the *Dignify* e-wallet, which allows menstruators to access affordable period products through flexible savings options, starting at just 0.05 USD per day. Users can redeem the total value for products via payment-enabled bracelets or smart cards.

EHI has created employment opportunities at its pad production facilities and across its supply chain, collaborating with vendors, menstrual health educators, and sales professionals. EHI’s programs also provide training in entrepreneurship, leadership, and mental health, empowering women to become leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers in their communities.

 Nancy's work has directly impacted over 14,337 families, offering solutions that combine economic independence and health empowerment. She believes true women’s empowerment is about providing the tools, resources, and support women need to overcome barriers and transform their communities. Her efforts have earned her local and international recognition as a key figure in advancing gender equality and menstrual health.

Saudatu shared her personal journey that saw her overcome a challenging background to become the first female in her family to attain a university degree. Motivated by the support she received from Camfed and the Mastercard Foundation, Saudatu founded LifeAgain—a non-profit dedicated to dismantling barriers such as poverty, teenage pregnancy, and child marriage, and to advancing girls’ education. Through LifeAgain, she provides adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health education to both boys and girls, while also offering comprehensive support—including financial aid, mentorship, psychological assistance, and leadership training—to pregnant girls and adolescent mothers. This support enables them to return to education or acquire vocational skills for sustainable livelihoods. Additionally, Saudatu leads grassroots advocacy efforts to challenge harmful practices like child marriage and to promote community by-laws that foster systemic change.

Her impactful work has reached over 3,000 adolescents with vital SRH education, directly empowered more than 500 young women, and engaged over 2,000 individuals in advocacy efforts, embodying her unwavering commitment to creating a world where every child has access to quality education and equal opportunities.

Sandra highlighted that while Uganda has progressive refugee policies, many inclusion programs are designed from an external perspective rather than addressing what refugee women truly want and need. Through participatory action research, Sandra will work with them as co-creators to develop solutions that fit their realities.  Sandra wrapped up by sharing a couple of powerful anecdotes. One woman, after attending a digital literacy training session Sandra led, finally began to feel comfortable to use her husband’s laptop in her home that she had never attempted to access. Another woman successfully secured a job through an online job portal after learning how to navigate digital spaces. These stories illustrate the opportunities and inclusion that can come from empowering refugee women to become digitally literate and have access to technology. 

As Sandra reminds us, “Alternative [solutions] need to come from the refugee women themselves as opposed to a top-down approach.”

Fred's doctoral research examines the intersection of socio-culture factors, indoor air pollution, and the economic well-being among rural Ugandan women. He shared how, in Uganda, cultural norms significantly hinder the adoption of clean cooking technologies, and the burden is largely placed on rural women who spend long hours collecting firewood and cooking, leading to health issues and economic disadvantages. Gender roles limit women's decision-making power, as men control household finances and often prioritize traditional cooking methods. He emphasised that for clean energy transitions to be successful, women must be recognized not just as beneficiaries but as key drivers of change, with policies that prioritize gender-inclusive access and empowerment.

Fred challenged us by asking, “How can we influence transitions to cleaner energies when men who are decision-makers are not the ones who are being impacted by the challenge of smoke from cooking?”

Dr Hadijah previously held lecturer positions at Makerere University Kampala in Uganda and Napier University in Scotland. Dr Mwenyango earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, a Master of Science in Social Work and Human Rights from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Makerere University Kampala, Uganda. Dr Mwenyango shared that as her career flourished, her family grew too— e welcomed five children along the way—three before starting her PhD, one during her studies, and her youngest was born recently. She embraces the Ubuntu philosophy, "I am because we are," which has helped her view her roles as an academic and a parent as deeply intertwined rather than separate. Despite facing pressures, limited personal time, and the challenges of being away from her family while undertaking studies, her academic career has strengthened her resilience and inspired her to become a role model for her children and society.

Dr Mwenyango emphasises that asking for help—from family, student support services, or academic teams—is a mark of strength. By letting go of guilt and remaining present in every moment, she has learnt to forgive herself when things do not go smoothly and to persevere despite setbacks. Her heartfelt message to parents juggling family and studies is: "You are doing something incredible. It may not be easy, but it is possible. Your strength and dedication set a powerful example for friends and family."

As a Mastercard Foundation Scholar and former KPMG professional, Sharon is dedicated to making a positive difference and helping communities adapt to climate change. 

Sharon has also been recognised as a Bloomberg Fellow and has participated in programmes such as the British Council’s Future News Worldwide and the World Youth Forum. Reflecting on her time coordinating International Women’s Day events at KPMG, Sharon explained that these events were far more than a tick-box exercise. They provided crucial opportunities for organisations to steer their direction, as well as being “critical entry points” for more nuanced, and sometimes difficult and uncomfortable conversations on inclusion. She believes that inclusion is not solely a women's issue but a broader structural challenge—particularly in the corporate sector, where the responsibility for inclusion often falls on women. Sharon identified two key lessons from her experience: first, that being excellent at your work is not enough if the work remains invisible; and second, that building coalitions and finding mentors who can advocate for you in decision-making spaces is essential. Ultimately, she encourages women to “own their success unapologetically and creating room for themselves and other women”.

We are grateful to all our speakers for generously and courageously sharing their reflections, and hard-won lessons. Their insights reflect some of the diverse experiences of our Mastercard Foundation Scholars community and remind us that every woman's journey is unique.