This year, Max Bell School at 苹果淫院 has attracted not one, but two Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Fanuel Sbhatu Gebremeske and Juma Omala. Hailing respectively from Ethiopia and Kenya, and brimming with talent and leadership potential, these two scholars are all about building resilient聽communities. Read why they are moving halfway across the world to join the Max Bell School鈥檚 third cohort of Master of Public Policy students.
In pursuit of justice beyond law: Fanuel Sbhatu Gebremeskel
With a Bachelor of Laws from Mekelle University in Ethiopia, Fanuel has long been devoted to equity in the justice system. 鈥淣ormally, in Ethiopia, the legal system discriminates against indigent people, poor people, people with disabilities, people who are illiterate, women, and children. I鈥檇 like to make a difference in providing access to justice for these vulnerable members of society.鈥�
To that end, he could have continued his studies by pursuing a master's degree in law, but Fanuel recognized that law is not the only way to achieve the reforms he wants for Ethiopia. 鈥淚鈥檝e been working as a law teacher for about three years now, and I鈥檝e always wanted to pursue further studies because I want to participate in the leadership of civil society organizations.鈥�
When he saw the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at 苹果淫院, he knew it would be the ideal way to continue his mission for justice. 鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely necessary to understand and analyze the public policies that are impacting our lives,鈥� he explained. 鈥淎s far as access to justice is concerned, studying at 苹果淫院 will help me understand the specific policy issues that are creating these inequalities.鈥�
He鈥檚 really excited about joining the Max Bell School. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to learning from my fellow students, who come from so many different countries and backgrounds.鈥�
An innovator for health and equity: Juma Omala
Over 1,600 kilometres away, in Nairobi, Kenya, Juma Omala is also preparing to uproot and move to Montreal.
With a Bachelor of Science in Community Resource Management from Nairobi鈥檚 Kenyatta University, Juma has worked to advance youth empowerment, equity, public health, and sexual and reproductive rights in Kenya.
He鈥檚 always thinking about how he can meaningfully contribute to his community. To this end, he founded , an organization that seeks to increase employment opportunities for young people. 鈥淚 formed BoldStep because I saw that the young people I interacted with were going through an education system that didn鈥檛 prepare them to take on the real world.鈥�
Prior to founding BoldStep, Juma had an experience that shifted his paradigm on community service. 鈥淎 turning point for me was when I was selected for the ,鈥� a networking and education program established in 2010 by U.S. President Barack Obama. 鈥淲hen I joined that program,鈥� he continued, 鈥渕y whole perspective changed on how to think about my community鈥檚 challenges and how young people can come up with effective solutions to solve them.
With an eye to public health, Juma is now returning to school for a Master of Public Policy degree. 鈥淚 want to ground myself in health research, especially research on health inequities that kids face, because your health trajectory starts when you鈥檙e very young,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to have conversations about these topics with experts, and with students from other parts of the world.鈥�
When deciding which university to attend, 苹果淫院 stood out. 鈥淚 know it鈥檚 going to be intense, but I like to be challenged to think and do things differently. And my Max Bell School education will empower me to understand the complexities of health inequalities and contribute to addressing them at the policy level.鈥�
A warm welcome
Chris Ragan, director of the Max Bell School, is thrilled that Fanuel and Juma will be joining the Max Bell School:聽
鈥淲e are so proud to welcome Fanuel and Juma聽into our third cohort of MPP students. To have two Mastercard Foundation Scholars, as members of the next generation of African leaders, decide to join the Max Bell School is a testament to the talent we are attracting from around the globe.鈥�
Tips for prospective students
When asked to provide advice to any prospective Mastercard Foundation Scholarship applicants,聽 Fanuel emphasized that perseverance is key in the scholarship application process.
鈥淭he Mastercard Foundation Scholarship wasn鈥檛 the first scholarship I applied for; I鈥檝e been rejected three or four times before. No matter what, you need to be persistent.鈥�
In pursuing his studies, Juma was undeterred by the difficult economic circumstances of his upbringing: 鈥淕rowing up poor showed me how people are barred from a lot of opportunities based on their socioeconomic status. There were countless times when I couldn鈥檛 pay my school fees, so I had to be away from school. At the same time, my friends from well-off families remained continuously in school.鈥�
These barriers galvanized his drive to fight inequality, pushed him to put intense effort into his studies, and motivated him to seize every opportunity he could. All that hard work has unlocked his next chapter: a master鈥檚 degree at the Max Bell School. And he can鈥檛 wait to get started.
