Knowledge Hub

When the Mastercard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity was set up in 2014, the Foundation was focused on driving and deepening financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa as part of a wider vision for supporting growth and prosperity across Africa.

Since then, the Fund has achieved remarkable success, particularly in bringing previously unbanked rural communities new and improved financial products and services to support the life transformation of smallholder farmers and their families.

The Foundation extends its appreciation to the participants in this program. They have exceeded expectations in innovating and scaling, and indeed in being resilient to shocks experienced in the last few years, particularly during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We are continuing to learn from this Fund about such aspects as the power of applying digital technology to drive financial inclusion and sustainability, about the multifaceted impact that access to financial services provides on employment for example, and about what it takes to unlock far-reaching opportunities in the agriculture value chain.

The Foundation will continue to integrate the insights generated from the Fund into its broader work. We are seeking to scale the remarkable achievements under this pioneering program across many aspects of our Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young people, particularly young women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

Our thanks to all stakeholders and partners of the Fund and Foundation that have been with us on this remarkable journey, as the financial inclusion story continues to unfold.

 Peter Materu,

 Chief Program Officer,

 Mastercard Foundation