From Akwa Ibom to Lagos, Rebecca Edet discovered that the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is more than an opportunity for higher education; it is also a responsibility to uplift others. As the eldest of eight children, she grew up knowing that space and resources were scarce. At just seven years old, she embraced the opportunity to live with her aunt in Lagos, where she helped with household chores and supported the family business. The move meant leaving behind an overcrowded home, but more importantly, it opened the door to education. Today, Rebecca is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar studying Business Administration at Pan-Atlantic University, the first in her family to attend university. Yet a recent, emotional trip back home reshaped her academic journey into a mission. It inspired her to become a volunteer teacher, determined to give others the opportunities she once longed for.
A Conversation with Rebecca:
Question: You chose to volunteer at an orphanage and help students prepare for JAMB. What sparked that decision?
Rebecca: Last year, after becoming a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at Pan-Atlantic University, I went back to Akwa Ibom. I had been away from my family for 11 years. During a chat with my dad, he mentioned that my younger siblings were struggling academically. To see for myself, I sent my immediate younger brother to buy tomato paste. When he came back, I asked him to read the label. He couldn’t. I was deeply concerned. Here was a boy already in senior secondary school, unable to read basic words.
Question: After seeing your brother struggle to read, what do you feel are the main challenges your siblings face in their education?
Rebecca: It mostly has to do with the environment and the schools. My siblings found it hard to keep their books in good shape. In Lagos, teachers checked how neat our notebooks were and even gave rewards. I wanted that praise, so I covered my books with brown paper to keep them clean. Back home, students often turned in torn notebooks, and teachers just marked them without paying much attention. That difference made a big impact.
Question: How did that experience lead you to community service?
Rebecca: Since Akwa Ibom is too far from Lagos for me to help my siblings every day, I joined the Community Service Project club on campus. I wanted to see if other children faced the same neglect. At the orphanage, I realised they did. People focus a lot on feeding the children, but their education is often forgotten. I decided I wasn’t going to let them lose out on both fronts. Many people, such as my secondary school teachers, family members, and mentors, helped me reach where I am today. I knew I had to play my part and give back.
Question: How are your teaching and volunteering going so far?
Rebecca: I recently finished teaching Accounting online to JAMB candidates. Right now, I still teach at the orphanage every Saturday. At first, I had to mix English and Yoruba so the children could understand the lessons. It worked. I remember teaching them fractions, and before I left that day, three of the children could add and subtract fractions on their own. As for my siblings, I am still figuring out how to bridge the distance, but I regularly send money home to my parents for their notebooks and textbooks.
Question: Looking back at everything you are juggling, how does it make you feel?
Rebecca: Honestly, I feel like I haven’t even started. I need to do more because there is still so much work to do.
Thank you for speaking with us, Rebecca. We wish you all the best.
End of Interview.