The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme is aimed at supporting the education of girls in SHS and tertiary institutions across 31 districts in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Central regions.

Beneficiary students received financial support for their fees, uniforms, books and supplies, transportation, accommodation and stipends. Mr John Asibi Ali, the National Director of Camfed – Ghana, who gave details of the programme at a media interaction in Tamale, said a total of 1,780 students, representing the last batch of the 4000 beneficiaries at the SHS level, would complete their studies this academic year.The interaction was to build strategic partnership with the media as partners in development and to attract participants from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions to the programme.

Mr Asibi Ali said in all, the programme targeted 4000 SHS students and 2000 tertiary students adding so far, 1000 tertiary students had benefited.  He said Camfed – Ghana had received support to expand the programme to cover additional 1,500 tertiary students.  He spoke about the contributions of beneficiaries of the programme to society saying; ‘’beneficiaries invest the benefits of their education back into their communities. To date, they have supported over 40,000 children to go to school at primary and SHS levels.”

Miss Rashida Iddrisah, the Senior Programmes Officer of Camfed – Ghana, said 1,919 businesses had been set up by young women, who received Seed Money Programme Support from Camfed –Ghana, assuring that the organisation would continue to support female empowerment in the country.

Camfed-Ghana is non-profit organisation dedicated to eradicating poverty through the education and empowerment of girls.