The meeting, brought together Regional and District Girls’ Education officers, stakeholders, and community leaders to review strategies for extending the benefits of the initiative across the Volta Region.

The FAWE/Mastercard Foundation Phase II Programme, titled, “Second Chance Pathways for Increased Access to Tertiary Education for Marginalized Young Women and Men,” sought to provide marginalized young people aged 15–25, with equitable access to tertiary education in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

It also aims to strengthen links between education and the labour market by equipping participants with employable and entrepreneurial skills.

Madam Anna Nabere, Programme Manager for FAWE Ghana, explained that the Foundation’s partnership with Mastercard spanned 10 sub-Saharan African countries, including Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

She noted that during the 2024/2025 academic year, 200 students from the programme regions (Volta, Oti, North East, Northern, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West) benefited from the scholarships.

She said another 200 students were expected to benefit in 2025/2026 academic year, and a further 200 in 2026/2027, bringing the total to 600 students supported under the TVET/STEM bursary scheme.

She added that the second component of the initiative, which is called, “Bridging Programme,” aims to award 500 academically capable but marginalized SHS graduates a second chance to access tertiary STEM education by addressing barriers such as inadequate preparation, socio-economic disadvantage, and regional disparities.

The scholarship provides a comprehensive package, which covers tuition fees, stipends, meals, and other essential needs to ease the financial burden on students from underserved communities.

The programme prioritizes girls, who represent 80 per cent of participants, while also addressing the needs of learners with disabilities, refugee populations, and internally displaced people.
Overall, FAWE Ghana aims to support 1,100 participants under its combined initiatives in the FAWE/Mastercard Foundation Phase II Program.

Beyond scholarships, the programme integrates entrepreneurship training, capacity-building opportunities, and startup support for selected final-year students to promote self-employment and dignified livelihoods.

Recruitment would be conducted through a transparent, multi-level process, beginning with advertisements on radio, in newspapers, and through community sensitization efforts with applications to be reviewed by local, regional, and national committees to ensure fairness and inclusivity.

Ms Hanifatu Panko Alhassan, FAWE Ghana’s Field Officer responsible for Volta and Oti regions, said FAWE Ghana was counting on stakeholders to take a leading role in publicizing the scholarship and recruitment process, to ensure that the opportunity reached the most marginalized learners, who needed it most.

Mr Augustine Awity, outgoing Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC), pledged the Council’s collaboration with all 18 Municipal and District Assemblies to support recruitment through their Social Services Committees.

He emphasized that many students in the region continued to seek other financial support without success, making the bursary component of the FAWE/Mastercard Foundation Phase II Programme, “a welcome and timely intervention.”

Following the engagement, District Girls’ Education officers and selected focal persons would lead sensitization campaigns and coordinate radio programmes to raise awareness of the scholarship opportunities in their communities.

The stakeholders praised FAWE Ghana and the Mastercard Foundation for offering a life-changing educational support to marginalized young people.