The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special program together with its partners around the world with a moto of “A decade of transformative impact and learning” in Kigali, from September 15-17, 2022.
Those who took part in the 2 day event included, among others,, University of Gondar President Dr. Asrat Atsedeweyn, Scholars Program Director Dr. Molalign Belay, Part A Manager Mr. Geta Asrade, various UoG scholars and Scholars Program teams from diffrent nations.
The University of Gondar has been a beneficiary of the program, which is in its 6th year and was selected as guests and participants of this amazing celebration.
The joint global report on disability issued by the World Health Organization and the World Bank shows that the number of people with disabilities in the world is more than 1 billion and 15-20 percent of the total population of developing countries including our country. Plainly speaking, this means that it has reached more than 20 million in our country.
Disability can occur in any person at any time, from conception to death, due to natural and man-made conditions. Disability requires special compensatory and rehabilitation support measures to enable a person to live a full life on an equal footing with other citizens.
With the funds received from Mastercard Foundation, our university is teaching 450 talented youths from 5 countries, including our country, who have not had the opportunity of higher education. They are able for the first time to pursue their first and second degrees at our honored University. In addition to this, 60 of our university teachers have gained scholarships to study their second and third degrees in fields directly or indirectly related to disabilities at Queen’s University, Canada.
The Mastercard Foundation is making a remarkable contributions to the establishment of a system that can sustainably ensure the benefits for people with disabilities in Ethiopia.
When speaking about the 10 year anniversary and the Scholars Program, Dr. Asrat shares that The University of Gondar will work hard in the field of inclusiveness in the future and continue to make it UoG’s brand.
Dr. Asrat also discussed future plans with the Mastercard Foundatiom. “I enjoyed the discussion with Reeta Roy, President and CEO, Mastercard Foundation, and fruitful discussions with Queen’s University team, Dr. Heather Aldersey and Dr. Sandra Otter on how to strengthen the existing partnership and initiate new areas of collaboration” expressed the President.
Dr. Asrat concluded by sharing that the Mastercard Foundation is the best partner for the change brought about in Ethiopia, especially in the University of Gondar, and “our respect” he shared, “and appreciation is great for the Scholars Program.”
