I was born and raised in rural Uganda in conditions that seemed to stifle ambition. My life was characterized by limited opportunities, financial barriers, and sometimes a feeling of near-hopelessness. Yet today, I am a healthcare professional, entrepreneur, mentor, and graduate student studying for a Master’s degree in Health Informatics at the University of Toronto. You might ask how this is possible for someone of my socioeconomic background. Allow me to share my story.
Though circumstances seemed stacked against me, I held on to the belief that education would be my path to a better future. I have also been fortunate to have individuals who believed in my potential at pivotal moments in this journey. From elementary school to ordinary-level education, I studied through academic bursaries awarded to talented students. In 2015, my biology teacher recognized my potential and introduced me to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at BRAC Uganda. I was awarded a fully funded scholarship that gave me access to a top-tier high school education in Uganda.
Thanks to the mentorship and transformative leadership training I received at St. Julian High School Gayaza, I excelled academically and honed my leadership skills in a role providing support to struggling students. It included working closely with the school administration to foster an academically thriving environment for a student population of over 2,500.
“Being at the University of Toronto represents another pivotal moment in my broader mission to create lasting, systemic change in Africa’s healthcare infrastructure.”
Again, my achievements and leadership did not go unnoticed. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program awarded me an opportunity for my first cross-border travel experience to Accra, Ghana, in 2017 to attend the Baobab Summit and meet other emerging young African leaders. I met a Mastercard Foundation Scholar from Kenya who was studying computer science at Ashesi University. Our conversations opened another door: a Mastercard Foundation Scholarship for undergraduate studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana.
The scholarship was a bridge to both academic and personal growth. From a young age, I wanted to become a medical doctor and leader, to return to my community and apply my skills and expertise to improve the healthcare system for my people. This passion was born from a deep emotional attachment. I lost my mother to what I believe were inefficiencies in our healthcare system that make access to services almost impossible for many people in Uganda, especially in rural communities. Additionally – and even at a younger age – I lost some of my friends to vaccine preventable diseases, something that my generation should not be enduring. These losses instilled in me the desire and resolve to improve healthcare access for underserved communities.
Returning to my personal growth, as a first-generation university student studying outside my home country, I not only focused on my academic pursuits but also learned to adapt, face challenges, and embrace diversity. I explored local Ghanaian culture, from learning the common language (Twi) to enjoying culinary delights like banku with groundnut soup.
“Being here offers a fresh, global perspective, and the cross-disciplinary collaboration with other scholars at this world-class institution will sharpen my ability to innovate within complex healthcare ecosystems.”
Emmanuel with other international scholars at a University of Toronto faculty event
This cross-cultural experience, coupled with the hands-on education I received at KNUST’s Department of Medical Diagnostics, helped shape me into the published researcher, author, entrepreneur, scientist, and advocate for equitable healthcare that I am today, with three peer reviewed articles in high-impact journals.
My undergraduate journey was not without its challenges. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly tough period, emotionally and academically. Nevertheless, I found solace in research, conducting a study that developed a cost-effective, climate-friendly RNA extraction kit for low-resource laboratories in low- and middle-income countries. This project was one of the most fulfilling moments I remain grateful to my mentor, Dr. Samuel Asamoah Sakyi, for his unwavering support. Our work was published, and I was proud of my small contribution to the scientific community.
But my story doesn’t stop at academic pursuits. My entrepreneurship journey has been driven by the desire to use business as a force for social good, helping others in my community break free from poverty and create sustainable futures. While at KNUST, we were served chicken and rice almost every day at mealtimes. Back home, poultry is expensive and eaten only on feast days and celebrations. Poverty is one of the critical social determinants of health, so I decided to see if we could make chicken more affordable in Uganda. I cofounded Nugget Poultry, a social venture addressing the affordability of poultry products in rural communities of Western Uganda. It became a successful and award-winning venture. Today, Nugget Poultry provides training and market access for rural farmers, especially women, helping create sustainable income streams and strengthen local economies. Leveraging this experience, I have since gone on to train over 500 young entrepreneurs across Africa through the Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship at Queen’s University, where I now serve as a program coach.
Emmanuel at a faculty event with Professor Joseph Wong, Vice President International University of Toronto and Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs
“I met a Mastercard Foundation Scholar from Kenya who was studying computer science at Ashesi University. Our conversations opened another door.”
After completing my undergraduate studies in Ghana, I returned to Uganda in 2019 to volunteer at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. While there, I noticed the challenges posed by paper-based health records. These cause delays in laboratory results and dispatch, difficulties retrieving patient history for proper diagnosis and treatment, and frustration and burnout among healthcare workers. Such inefficiencies fuelled my ambition to apply for a Master’s degree in Health Informatics at the University of Toronto.
A third Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program scholarship supports my studies here. I am eager to learn from the university’s esteemed faculty members whose groundbreaking work and accomplishments resonate deeply with the transformative healthcare solutions I aspire to implement back home. Their expertise in Health Informatics and system optimization aligns perfectly with my vision of using technology to bridge healthcare gaps in underserved communities.
Being here offers a fresh, global perspective, and the cross -disciplinary collaboration with other scholars at this worldclass institution will sharpen my ability to innovate within complex healthcare ecosystems.
My journey continues, and being at the University of Toronto represents another pivotal moment in my broader mission to create lasting, systemic change in Africa’s healthcare infrastructure. This dedication has driven my career aspirations since childhood.
