Female Scholars Lead in Africa Climate Collaborative Scholarship Intake

Female students have emerged as the dominant group in the latest round of the Africa Climate Collaborative (ACC) Master’s and PhD scholarships. Out of 50 scholars selected from a pool of 483 applicants, 34 are women, making up 68 percent of the cohort.

Professor Clare Mack Mugasa, Chairperson of the ACC selection sub-committee, announced the figures at a recent award ceremony held at Makerere University. She noted that the selection process aimed to identify the most deserving candidates based on established criteria. “We received 483 applications, and following the selection criteria, we identified the most deserving 50 candidates, 34 females and 16 males,” Prof Mugasa stated.

The scholarship initiative, supported by the Mastercard Foundation and coordinated by the Association of African Universities, aims to foster youth-led, climate-resilient development across the continent. It involves a partnership between Makerere University, the University of Ghana, the University of Cape Town, and the University of Cambridge.

Further diversifying the cohort, 10 percent of the scholars are persons with disabilities. The program also provides opportunities for international students, refugees, internally displaced persons, and individuals from minority tribes.

Mercy Kalende, a Master’s student in Agricultural Engineering and an ACC scholar, spoke on behalf of the recipients, expressing gratitude for the opportunity. “Across Africa, thousands of young people possess immense potential but require catalytic opportunities and support to translate that potential into meaningful impact,” she remarked, emphasizing the scholarship’s role in building capacity to address climate and development challenges.

This initiative underscores the growing importance of empowering African youth, particularly women, in the fight against climate change. The scholars are expected to leverage their enhanced knowledge and skills to design innovative solutions for a more sustainable future. In a separate but related initiative, Makerere University also awarded 258 Mastercard Foundation scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year, with a focus on providing quality education to a new cohort of students.