Scholarship / MasterCard Foundation Scholarship at University of Edinburgh about a chosen program [3]

The degree programme choice

We want to ensure your time at the University of Edinburgh benefits others in the future. Tell us how your choice of the degree programme will assist you to make the change you envisage.

MSc Finance, Technology and Policy are the three most important drivers of a modern economy. It is a programme based on a solid foundation in core principles and a common basis of knowledge across the different areas necessary for solving real problems and induce entrepreneurship and economic innovation.

The knowledge gained from financial economics will give me insights and perspectives on how to help small business owners to raise money to expand and manage their businesses. I also look forward to bringing small investors to invest their retirements into small businesses thereby creating jobs and increase the productivity of the society. This initiative will promote entrepreneurship, financial education, alleviates poverty in the community. My aim is to develop this idea into investment programs such as Dragons' Den in the UK, Canada and the Sharks in the US.

In addition, I think finance and technology and policy is a perfect combination for me to realise my dream of creating the first fintech start-up company of its kind in the Gambia that makes payment easy for small business owners and challenges the traditional banking system. I aim is to facilitate the payment system in the Gambia just like in Kenya where fintech space has recorded impressive growth in recent years. The Gambia is among the highest unbanked populations in Africa. Services of this kind will facilitate payment for about 20% to 25% of the population who are farmers and small businesses owners.

Scholarship / Essay for MasterCard Foundation Scholarship at University of Edinburgh in leadership skills [4]

We want to learn about your track record as a transformative leader.

Tell us about one current idea or project you are working on, which clearly demonstrates this. Max 250 words.

I served as the city representative for the Gambian Student Association in Morocco (GASAM) for students living in Kenitra, as well as served in the Media Team as a photographer. I was in charge of 19 students with age ranging from 21 to 27 years old. My responsibilities consist of mobilizing and addressing students' needs at the city level, these involve helping the newly arrived and transfer students to register in schools, look after sick students, finding an apartment for them and also helping them to find the legal documents such as Residential Permit/ Student Card.

I was selected as the vice president of foreign Students Club at the National School of Business and Management (ENCG de Kenitra) which I co-founded in 2017. The aim was to cement the relationship between students from different parts of Africa.

My responsibilities at the club include conducting educational programs such as providing French classes for none francophone students and team up students to help one another in certain subjects such as Mathematics, statistics, business valuation.. etc. This has decreased the rate dropout around 2% to 3% and this has increased their performance. I also worked with the president to form an alliance with other clubs within the college and in other faculties to address common problems we face.

I am currently the head of foreign students' apartment located at 32 Avenue Istiqlal El Marsa in kenitra in Morocco. This apartment makes a room for students from seven different Nationalities (The Gambia, Gabon, Liberia, Ghana, Comoros, Zambia and São Tomé). I am in charge of all sort of reparations in the apartment as well as the payment of rent and water, electricity and the internet bills and negotiate with agencies in case we are short of money. I am also responsible for sorting out any disputes that arise within the apartment and with the neighbours and sharing tasks such as cleaning, among the members of the apartment.

These experiences proved to be as rewarding as they were challenging, and I strongly believe that the leadership skills I acquired during these periods have enhanced my soft skills necessary to bring positive changes to Africa in the future.