Introduction
In 2012, the University of California, Berkeley became a partner in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, a $500 million education initiative that will provide 15,000 talented, yet economically disadvantaged students from developing countries – particularly in Africa – with comprehensive support for secondary and university education. At UC Berkeley, this program will provide holistic support – financial, academic, social, and career counseling – to 113 students from Sub-Saharan Africa from 2012 to 2020. The scholars will pursue both undergraduate and professional master's degrees.
The Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation advances microfinance and youth learning to promote financial inclusion and prosperity. Through collaboration with committed partners in 49 countries, the Foundation is helping people living in poverty to access opportunities to learn and prosper. An independent, private foundation based in Toronto, Canada, it was established through the generosity of Mastercard Worldwide at the time of the company’s initial public offering in 2006. For more information, visit www.mastercardfdn.org.