“I am a proud African...However, we, Africans should take up the challenge to confront problems that are approaching us head-on and also harness opportunities knocking at our doors.”
“As young African leaders, we must discover and act on our dreams, because eventually, a dream-filled Africa is a growing Africa.”
“[A transformative leader] should be someone who can understand very well the people he’s leading and how he can bring them together to bring about a positive change in the community. ”
“One thing about science that drew me to it is the fact that it’s about discovery of knowledge. ”
“In my culture, women cover our hair and wear long skirts so people think we can’t work on the farm. I want to prove them wrong.”
“I envision a better world, a sustainable world.”
“As a leader you need to be able to learn and adapt to situations without the monopoly of one person – you need to have an open mind and recognize and acknowledge the ideas of others and integrate these with yours to possibly effect change.”
“I feel the itch to learn. I want to acquire knowledge that will help me fulfill my dream of ending poverty and unemployment around the world.”
“I believe a good leader is someone who can share the joys and burdens of their communities when the time calls, and a good leader is someone who first leads themselves and then their community.”
“I envision a world where lethal diseases like cancer can be treated in a matter of days and treatment will be made equally accessible to people who need it.”
“Know what you want to do. Don’t expect everything to come to you. Be ready to learn and accept critiques. Ultimately, it’s all about ‘not letting any obstacle wear you down, so you can go far'.”
“The art of leadership begins with knowing your origin and struggles, and in advocating for the underprivileged.”
“Starting from primary school, high school and college, I went through failures. And all those failures only taught me something - which is to never give up.”
“We need to empower [young people] with information to make the right decision, in connection to sexual reproductive health and rights.”
“I am studying public policy and public service with a minor in business. My passion is linking the government with the people.”
“I believe in the quote that a lot of people like to reference by Nelson Mandela, which is: "Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can transform the world". And I believe that my education is already touching people's lives.”
“I envision a world where women, children, and men are not discriminated against. People are looked at based on their abilities and capabilities.”
“I envision a world where the youth is ready to take up the mantle, especially in Africa.”
“Being a MasterCard Foundation scholar for me is being given or being charged with the responsibility to go back to your country and to make change, try to make a difference and trying to do things in a great way.”
“After going back, I want to re-establish myself promptly so that I can really change the attitude of my people towards that of community service.”
“As a leader you have to know people make mistakes. You have to be slow to get angry, slow at speaking and very very quick at listening, you know you have to listen a lot more than you speak.”
“I envision a world where the opportunities are accessible to anyone wanting to transform their environment.”
“In 2015, I started Ubuntu starter investment to help the rural community in Western Uganda and the areas around become financially independent and economically sustainable.”
“What motivated me first and foremost is I want to be the first in our [family] to bring a change in our home and I want to be the first to construct a permanent house for our home.”
“I carry my community’s yearning for someone to make a significant change, someone to break the cycle of poverty.”
“I want to make an orphanage for people who don’t have an opportunity like me. I want to build that pharmacy to be the source of income that I would use. That’s my long-term goal.”
“You are not studying just for yourself; you are studying for the whole world.”