Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation has been actively engaged in Uganda since 2008, focusing on empowering youth through education, skills development, and employment opportunities. A cornerstone of its efforts is the Young Africa Works strategy, launched in Uganda in 2019, aiming to enable 4.3 million young Ugandans—particularly women, refugees, and persons with disabilities—to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

Key Initiatives in Uganda

1. Young Africa Works Strategy

This strategy is a collaborative effort involving the Ugandan government, private sector, academic institutions, and youth. It focuses on:

• Strengthening systems and institutions: Enhancing inclusive, responsive, and affordable services.

• Supporting innovative interventions: Addressing root causes of youth unemployment.

• Scaling successful models: Leveraging partnerships to implement effective programs at scale.

Priority sectors include agriculture, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the digital economy, construction, housing, sports, and tourism.

2. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

This program offers scholarships to academically talented yet economically disadvantaged youth. In Uganda, Makerere University has partnered with the Foundation to provide scholarships to 1,000 students between 2013 and 2023. For the 2025/2026 academic year, the university announced 190 undergraduate and 11 master’s scholarships for Ugandan nationals, refugees, and students with disabilities.

3. Markets for Youth Program

In partnership with GOAL Global, this initiative aims to assist 300,000 young Ugandans, including 30,000 refugees and 15,000 youth with disabilities, in accessing employment opportunities, particularly in the agricultural sector. The program focuses on skills training, financial access, and market engagement.

4. Uganda E-Learning Initiative

Collaborating with Cyber School Technology Solutions, this program seeks to enhance digital education by providing online science and mathematics lessons, aiming to reach 12,500 youth across Uganda.

5. BRAC Partnership

The Foundation has partnered with BRAC to launch a $46.7 million Scholars Program, targeting 5,000 secondary students in Uganda, focusing on developing the next generation of African leaders.