2016 Q2 Board Book (Staff)

The June 15-16th, 2016 Board Meeting, focused on the Foundation's strategic planning, program expansion, and partnership development, particularly within the context of its work in Rwanda and across Africa. A key theme is the alignment of the Foundation’s initiatives with national development strategies and the involvement of local stakeholders. This period also highlights a dedication to improving education, promoting financial inclusion, and fostering youth employment and entrepreneurship.

Key activities and initiatives during this quarter include:

1) Rwanda Initiative: The Foundation is developing the Rwanda Initiative for Youth Employment and Enterprise, which aims to integrate financial inclusion, education, and youth livelihoods. This initiative seeks to address identified gaps in the Foundation’s programs by focusing on private sector engagement, coordinated partnerships, and evidence-based policy. The initiative aims to support Rwanda’s goals of achieving middle-income status by 2020.

2) Education and Learning: The Foundation is working on a Secondary Education Teacher Quality Initiative, which aims to improve teaching and learning in secondary education in Africa. This includes a focus on teacher recruitment, training, and support, with the goal of equipping young people with the skills needed for the 21st century. The Foundation also approved projects to support education development in Senegal and capacity building in agriculture in Kenya and Uganda.

3) Financial Inclusion: The Foundation continues to promote access to financial services, particularly for women, youth, and those in rural areas. Projects were approved to support digital financial services in Liberia, Zambia and Rwanda, and to promote client-centric practices among financial service providers in Africa. The Foundation is also focused on scaling access to savings services for low-income populations.

4) Youth Livelihoods: The Foundation is supporting programs aimed at equipping youth with the skills necessary for employment and entrepreneurship. This includes projects focused on agribusiness, digital skills and market-ready skills. Projects to equip youth with skills to obtain entry-level employment in South Africa and in the dairy and agricultural sectors in Uganda and Tanzania were also approved.

Overall, the Mastercard Foundation's activities in the second quarter of 2016 demonstrate a commitment to long-term strategic goals, program integration and collaboration with local partners to drive sustainable change. The Foundation is focused on improving education, expanding financial inclusion, and creating economic opportunities for youth, while emphasizing the importance of evidence, learning and policy development.