Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UP champions transformative leadership across Africa

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Pretoria (UP) continues to expand its footprint across the continent, this time through a powerful engagement at the Pan-Africa ILGA (PAI) Leadership Forum in Johannesburg. Representing the Program as part of our ongoing outreach and continental partnership-building efforts, Dr Grace Ramafi, Senior Manager of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UP, delivered the opening keynote address on “Transformative Leadership” to delegates from Uganda, Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Tunisia, Zambia, and South Africa.

Hosted by Hekima Leadership, the forum brings together emerging and established organisational leaders working to advance human rights, social inclusion, and community-driven advocacy across Africa. Dr Ramafi’s participation reaffirmed the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program’s commitment to nurturing ethical, courageous, and community-centred leadership, the very qualities that define our Scholars and alumni.

Living our values beyond campus

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is guided by core values that shape how our Scholars learn, lead, and serve:

·       Humility and Respect

·       Co-creation and Collaboration

·       Compassionate Leadership

·       Lifelong Service to Community

Dr Ramafi’s message echoed these principles, reflecting how transformative leadership emerges not from authority, but from the willingness to listen, uplift others, and lead with empathy. She encouraged participants to see themselves as catalysts for possibility, leaders who imagine a more inclusive, just Africa and then actively work to build it.

Her keynote also highlighted how, through the Program, Scholars are supported to become leaders who create change rather than merely respond to it, leaders able to innovate, influence systems, and inspire collective action.

A cross-African conversation on leadership and human rights

The session invited participants to reflect deeply on the challenges activists face when working to end discrimination across the continent. Using guided steps such as “State the Challenge,” “Re-state the Issue,” and “Commit to Action”, delegates engaged in a process designed to sharpen clarity, interrogate assumptions, and unlock new thinking.

Discussions drew on real issues confronting African societies, including:

1.     Whether voting creates meaningful change

2.     The private sector’s role in advancing public good

3.     Progress and setbacks in African human rights

4.     The impact of emerging technologies like AI

5.     Ethical questions around public officials running businesses

6.     The influence of social media on society

7.     The future of flexible and remote work environments

These topics resonated strongly with the Scholars Program’s mission of preparing leaders who think critically, collaborate across borders, and advocate for equitable and sustainable societies.

Strengthening continental networks for impact

By engaging with human rights defenders, community organisers, and advocacy leaders, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program extends its reach beyond academic spaces. This event created an opportunity to:

·       Strengthen relationships with pan-African organisations

·       Elevate UP’s leadership footprint on the continent

·       Demonstrate the Scholars Program’s commitment to inclusive development

·       Share practical leadership tools rooted in reflection, compassion, and action

Dr Ramafi’s presence also showcased the Program’s belief that leadership is a responsibility to serve, and that African solutions are most powerful when shaped by African voices.

Igniting possibility, together

As the first external voice the Forum participants heard, Dr Ramafi set the tone for a week of rigorous learning, collaboration, and visioning. Her words reminded delegates that leadership is not a title, it is a practice grounded in humanity, courage, and purpose.

Through engagements like the PAI Leadership Forum, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UP continues to uplift leaders who dream boldly, work collaboratively, and drive positive change in their communities.

Together, we are shaping a continent where every young leader is equipped to transform the world around them.