By Kruah Thompson
MONROVIA, October 12, 2026 — The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Liberia has announced plans to provide educational support to 650 marginalized young Liberians under the second phase of its partnership programme with the Mastercard Foundation.
The initiative will provide bursary support for selected beneficiaries to pursue university education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET), with particular attention to young women, refugees and persons with disabilities.
Speaking at FAWE Liberia’s headquarters in Sinkor on Friday, October 9, Executive Director Millias Z. Sheriff disclosed that 1,447 young people applied for the 650 available opportunities.
According to Sheriff, 816 applicants sought university education support, while 631 applied for technical and vocational training.
He said the applicants included 763 females, 673 males and 11 individuals who did not disclose their gender. Among them were 111 refugees or internally displaced persons and 28 persons with disabilities.
Montserrado County recorded the highest number of applicants, with 508, followed by Bong County with 248 and Lofa County with 196.
Sheriff explained that applications underwent eligibility screening, review and validation by selection committees comprising representatives from government institutions, educational establishments, youth organizations and civil society groups.
He emphasized that meeting the eligibility requirements did not automatically guarantee selection because the number of applicants exceeded the available opportunities.
The programme, officially launched in Liberia on November 19, 2025, accepted applications from August 1 to August 20, 2026.
It forms part of the seven-year FAWE-Mastercard Foundation Phase II Programme, running from 2024 to 2030 across 10 African countries.
The participating countries are Liberia, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Senegal.
The regional initiative aims to support 10,550 marginalized young people through higher education, vocational training and opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.
FAWE Liberia said the next stage will focus on enrolling selected beneficiaries and providing the necessary support to help them complete their educational programs.
The organization thanked the Mastercard Foundation and FAWE Africa for their continued partnership in expanding educational opportunities for disadvantaged young people.
It encouraged successful applicants to take their studies seriously while urging those who were not selected to continue pursuing their educational ambitions.
FAWE is a pan-African nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting girls’ education, empowering women and removing barriers to quality education, particularly for marginalized communities.
Through its national chapters, the organization works with governments, educational institutions and development partners to expand access to education and skills development across Africa. –The New Dawn
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