A determined young woman named Favour Abatang has achieved her dream of studying abroad after overcoming 17 scholarship rejections to finally secure the prestigious Mastercard Foundation Scholarship to study in the United Kingdom.
Her inspiring journey of resilience and perseverance has earned her a place at University of Edinburgh, where she will pursue a Master’s degree in MSc Africa and International Development through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
Favour's Story and How She Did It
Favour graduated from the University of Calabar in 2020 with a First Class Honours degree in Philosophy, emerging as the best female graduating student in her department.
Beyond academics, she built a strong portfolio through leadership roles and extracurricular activities, which are key factors in securing competitive international scholarships.
During her time at university, she joined the Impact Leaders Club and later became Programs Director, participated in and won the Zana Akpagu Inter-Hall Quiz Competition, emerging 2nd overall, and became a member of the University of Calabar Debating Club
Also, she led the Guru Club and became its first female president. While maintaining excellent grades, Favour also worked multiple full-time and part-time jobs to support herself through school.
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Despite the demanding schedule, she continued to build her leadership experience and social impact initiatives.
After graduation, she began applying for international scholarships with the hope of furthering her studies and strengthening her work in development.
However, the journey was not a smooth one. For 17 consecutive applications, she received rejection letters. Finally Pays Off
Instead of giving up, Favour continued improving her profile and strengthening her work in community development.
On her 18th application, her persistence finally paid off when she was awarded the fully funded Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at the University of Edinburgh. Reflecting on the moment, she shared on LinkedIn that it is the result of her persistence.
“This moment means so much to me because it comes after a long journey of persistence. After 17 unsuccessful attempts, this 18th application has become a life-changing opportunity,” she said.
While applying for scholarships, Favour was also building a career as a girls’ and women’s rights advocate. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Her Voice Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting teenage mothers and at-risk girls in marginalized communities.
Through the foundation, she works to provide second-chance education and livelihood support, advocate against child marriage and forced marriage practices, and promote girls’ education and empowerment.
Since 2020, she has led campaigns in Cross River State, Nigeria, addressing harmful cultural practices such as money marriage, where young girls are married off to settle family debts.
Favour says the scholarship represents more than personal achievement. It will equip her with knowledge and skills to strengthen her impact in policy, research, nonprofit leadership, and sustainable development.
“I see this scholarship as an opportunity to deepen my work in gender and development, research, nonprofit growth, and sustainable development.”
She also expressed gratitude to mentors, friends, and colleagues who supported her throughout the long and difficult application journey.
Receiving the scholarship, Favour described the opportunity as a new chapter filled with possibilities. “I receive this opportunity with gratitude, gladness, and humility. Dear dreamer, keep dreaming.”
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