Meet the Baobab Summit’s ‘Roving Reporters’

We’ve asked two Mastercard Foundation Scholars to share their Baobab experience with us at this year’s event. Check back for reports from them, sharing their thoughts on the highlights, what they’ve learned, and who they’ve met.

Sandra Peachy Kalua, Mastercard Foundation Scholar at EARTH University

Sandra Peachy Kalua is a youth activist based in Costa Rica currently completing her degree in agricultural sciences. She believes in talent development and advocates for youth to not only embrace their talents but also learn how to monetize them. She does not only talk the talk but walks the walk. She is a lifestyle blogger and vlogger where she uses her passion and talent for content creation to help the youth navigate this complex life. Also offering one-hour mentorships sessions on her website as part of the Speak your mind movement. Where she helps youth work on building their respective talents and planning a way forward.

Sandra, on resilience:

“Resilience, to me, is having the world look at what you have to offer and devaluing it, but you still continue to believe in yourself and talents and work towards proving them wrong.”

Mahmoud Kanso, Mastercard Foundation Scholar at American University of Beirut

Mahmoud is a Syrian civil engineering student at American University of Beirut, with a minor in Arabic. He is Founder of social venture EduPass.

Mahmoud on resilience:

“Resilience is when everything that surrounds you, drags you down but you try your best to keep going forward. Resilience is when you hold a switch button and turn on to what keeps you rising and turn off to whatever obstructs your journey to your dreams and goals. Resilience is when your supports fail but you insist on taking their ruins to build a whole new foundation that you can stand on again.”