For Oluchukwu, education was never a simple walk down a classroom corridor. It was a battle against constant financial hardship. She grew up as the fourth of six children in a busy household in Anambra State. Her parents struggled through petty trading and butchery to feed the family. They worked tirelessly just to keep food on the table and their children in uniform. In such an environment, a child’s place in school often hung by a thread. Oluchukwu still carries painful memories of childhood disrupted by poverty.
“I recall times when I was beaten or punished because of unpaid school fees,” she says quietly, showing resilience as she remembers how financial struggles fell hardest on children.
Her academic promise was clear. When she finished secondary school in 2020, a sudden lack of funds almost stopped her from sitting for her Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Winning a local quiz competition enabled her to cover the examination fees. But graduation brought no relief. Knowing the weight her family carried, Oluchukwu put her dreams aside and took on odd jobs.
“I picked up petty jobs here and there to assist my family and save for school,” she explains, describing a time when survival came before ambition.
By 2024, she resolved to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). But tragedy struck when a long illness claimed her father’s life, and medical bills drained the family’s savings. Grief and anxiety left Oluchukwu herself severely ill. With everything collapsing, she had to put her dream of higher education on hold to support her grieving family.
By 2025, attending university felt increasingly out of reach. She had no plans to take the exam because the money simply was not available. Yet hope came through her sister, who discovered the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) and encouraged her to try again. Oluchukwu registered, and against the odds, was shortlisted for an interview.
She also had to overcome self-doubt. Standing before the panel, the weight of years of hardship and the significance of the moment triggered overwhelming stage fright. “I experienced stage fright,” she admits. “But I felt understood by the PAU team. I had a comfortable environment and felt relaxed.”
In that space, designed to see past her anxiety and recognise her potential, Oluchukwu’s brilliance shone through. She beat the odds, joining the elite 3 per cent of applicants nationwide selected for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
Today, the familiar streets of Anambra have given way to the vibrant energy of Lagos, where Oluchukwu is thriving as a Computer Science student at PAU. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has replaced financial uncertainty with peace of mind. “I am happy I no longer work and earn peanuts, but I am in school with no need to worry about finances while still able to support at home and save,” she shares.
She now navigates her new life with resourcefulness, embracing the university environment while carefully finding bargains in Lagos markets to stretch her stipend and support her mother.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program did more than remove a financial burden. It gave Oluchukwu a launchpad. “I have been given the chance to pursue my dreams and to help others, just as I have been helped,” she says, her voice steady and full of purpose.
As she masters coding languages, she is already looking towards a broader horizon. Driven by a desire to protect others from the challenges she once faced, Oluchukwu is steadily pursuing her dream of becoming a cybersecurity expert and, ultimately, a strong advocate for her community.