Gifted students from Sub-Saharan Africa embrace U of T

“There’s a point in life when all you want to do is study and go to university,” says Sylvia Mwangi from Kenya, one of nine MasterCard Foundation Scholars to arrive to U of T this fall.

Now, this program, offered to gifted students facing economic barriers from Sub-Saharan Africa, has turned her wish into reality. It's made possible by a USD 22.5 million grant to the University of Toronto as part of the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program.

U of T News spoke with Sylvia and four other Scholars about what this program means to them, their plans upon graduation and first impressions of U of T and Toronto. 

(Read more about The MasterCard Foundation Scholars at U of T)

Sylvia Mwangi interned at a bank in Kenya after graduating from high school and also found time to mentor girls in local high schools. She is studying industrial engineering at U of T.

This scholarship is more than a dream come true. Just by getting it, I know I’ve encouraged people back home. It gives you a chance to shine, and through your light, everybody can see a ray. Things can happen. You’re not doomed, you’re not meant to follow the same path, where you’re born, where you study. Life can stretch, and the opportunities are there.

After graduation, I plan on going home and getting work in the oil industry in my country. Oil is a very young industry in Kenya and I’ve seen what happened in other countries in Africa that are endowed with natural resources. I want to give back to my community, help transform somebody’s life. 

This was the first time I travelled outside of my country and I thought I was going to feel totally alone. But, coming here, I never feel black, I never feel African, and the people I see are so friendly. The people from the administration, the lecturers and particularly the people from the Master Card Foundation, make an awesome family. I couldn’t ask for more.

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Vanessa Grace Bart-Plange, from Ghana, likes writing poems and short stories. She hopes to publish some of her work by the end of her studies at U of T, where she is studying international relations.

This scholarship has been the greatest thing to happen to me. It came at a time when I thought I’ve come to the end of my education. The MasterCard Foundation has been so gracious. They’re not just providing the financial support, they’re supporting us emotionally. I’m very grateful for that.

After this, I want to apply to grad school, because I want to be a lecturer. I want to share knowledge with my students, who will spread it to their siblings and friends, so that at some point in time I’ll have the whole of Ghana in my classroom. I will use myself as a point of change, not because I can change Ghana alone, but because I can impact others to change Ghana.

When I first arrived, I was afraid to step too far from New College. Now, I walk around the University and I see the words boundless potential everywhere. It makes me really feel boundless.

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Hillary Cliff Nyambok, from Kenya, is an avid soccer player who’s also clocked in many hours volunteering for the local library in high school. He is studying actuarial science at U of T.

This scholarship means a lot to me. There are less than 20 actuaries in my country and many actuaries in this country. I want to invest the knowledge I get here in Africa, not just Kenya.

After getting my education, I plan to spread the impact that The MasterCard Foundation has had on us, by investing in another needy person. They say education is to make creatures of destiny into creators of destiny and I want to create a destiny for another person.

The people I’ve met so far are so wonderful. It’s just the beginning of the year, but I feel like I’ve been here for quite some time. There’s a lot of diversity and that mixture makes you feel at home.

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Nana Yaa Boa-Amponsem, from Ghana, is a talented singer who led a couple of choirs in her high school. She is studying economics at U of T.

I think of this scholarship as a responsibility and a privilege, and I’m very grateful that I have a lot of support from people in The MasterCard Foundation. They’ve given us everything that we need to succeed.

After graduation, I plan on going back to my country and finding a job, as I apply to grad school, because I want to further my education and then achieve all the other aspirations I have. One of them is being the governor of the Bank of Ghana and the other is to build orphanages, especially for girls, because a lot of girls in our country do not get quality education.

Before I got to Toronto my parents told me that Toronto was so cold, so when I came here, I was so happy that the weather was okay. Secondly, the people are very friendly. School is challenging, but that’s good, because I think we are really getting a very good education here. We’re taught to think critically about everything.

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Anne Bosire was the dormitory captain in her high school in Kenya. She has combined her interest in science and nutrition, studying chemical engineering at U of T.

Getting the scholarship was a very humbling moment for me. It gave me hope and the change that I’ve always wanted, to be able to contribute to my home country and to Africa. Back home, generally, engineering is considered a boy’s thing. If I can make it here, I hope to influence the girls back home to become engineers.

Before coming, I was told that there’s a lot of racism and I was scared of coming. But it was so different when I came. People are so friendly. I have made friends with different people and they’re just like me, only our colour is different.

The University of Toronto is awesome. The teaching is superb. I used to think myopically, but here I get to think in a very big way.