Amamata Tanko, a Ghanaian graduate, has celebrated a life-changing achievement after securing a fully funded scholarship to pursue a Master's degree in Canada, capping a journey she describes as nothing short of miraculous. 

Tanko graduated in 2022 with a First Class degree in Climate Change and Sustainable Development and went on to serve as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science at the University of Energy and Natural Resources. 

Graduate wins Mastercard Foundation scholarship Rather than send out multiple applications, Tanko submitted a single Master's application in 2025. The road leading up to that decision was not straightforward. She described the period between graduation and her breakthrough as one filled with rejection emails, self-doubt from others, and deep personal transformation that she credits with strengthening her faith.

"Moving forward despite doubts from others and countless rejection emails, it wasn't easy," she wrote in her LinkedIn post in August 2026, "but listening to that still, small voice made all the difference." That single application was enough. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of British Columbia awarded her a fully funded scholarship to study the UBC Master of International Forestry programme. She expressed deep gratitude to the Foundation for believing in her potential and said she looks forward to giving back to her community.