The delegation also included former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a member of the Mastercard Foundation Board, alongside other Board and senior leadership members.
According to the Office of the President, the discussions focused on strengthening the Foundation’s collaboration with Rwanda and exploring new ways to equip young people with the skills and resources needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.
President Kagame has frequently emphasized that Africa’s youth are the continent’s greatest resource. He consistently challenges leaders to empower young people and highlights that a fair chance to succeed is the universal desire of youth across the continent.
“Africa is not short of talent or ideas. What it has lacked, at times, is alignment between vision and execution. Countries like ours can help bridge this gap by working more closely together and delivering results,” he said during a state visit to Botswana in May.
Thursday’s meeting comes as the Mastercard Foundation continues to scale its investments in Rwanda under its Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 300,000 young Rwandans to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. The initiative places particular emphasis on supporting young women, rural youth, and refugees through education, entrepreneurship, and access to employment opportunities.
Digital transformation remains a key pillar of the Foundation’s work in Rwanda. Earlier this month, the Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with the Rwanda ICT Chamber, launched the inaugural EdTech Fellowship Rwanda to support local education technology startups. The first cohort of eight startups received grant funding and business mentorship to expand digital learning solutions, particularly in underserved communities.
The Foundation also supports student entrepreneurship through the Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund, implemented in collaboration with BAG Technologies at the University of Rwanda. The initiative provides innovation bootcamps, mentorship, and prototype grants to help students transform ideas into scalable businesses that address regional development challenges.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Mastercard Foundation has maintained long-term partnerships with higher education institutions, including the University of Rwanda, Carnegie Mellon University Africa, and the African Leadership University. These collaborations provide scholarships, leadership development, and technical training for young Africans, with a focus on students from disadvantaged backgrounds, refugees, and persons with disabilities.
The Foundation has also expanded programmes that strengthen Rwanda’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), improve access to inclusive finance for entrepreneurs, and create career pathways for young graduates through paid work placements and professional mentorship.
In sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and agriculture, Mastercard Foundation works with local partners to deliver market-driven vocational training and help young entrepreneurs integrate into commercial value chains, supporting Rwanda’s broader economic transformation agenda.
The meeting reaffirmed the longstanding partnership between Rwanda and the Mastercard Foundation as both sides seek to create more opportunities for the country’s growing youth population through innovation, education, and inclusive economic growth.
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