MasterCard Renews Commitment To Financial Inclusion, Educational Efforts Of Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship

MasterCard and The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) announced the launch of the Global Girls Entrepreneurship Project.

In this new initiative, high school-age young women take part in activities and experiences that exposes them to technology and STEM careers. It also explores the unique aspects of being a woman business owner/leader.

Through the program, co-sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation, girls will have access to strong female role models, providing them opportunities to collaborate with women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. The project joins ongoing education programs supported under the annual grant from MasterCard.

“Over the past several years, we’ve seen the life-changing impact NFTE programs can have on young people worldwide,” said Monica Chaves, director of global philanthropy for MasterCard. “When they experience the power of entrepreneurial thinking, it has the potential to open the door to greater financial inclusion and prosperity.”

Since 2011, MasterCard has been a global NFTE sponsor. In the current school year alone, the company has:

• Supported international entrepreneurship education programs in Mexico, China, Belgium, as well as Partnership in Opportunities for Employment through Technology in the Americas centers in Brazil,Colombia and Mexico.
• Served as title sponsor of NFTE’s annual signature events: The National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, The NFTE Global Showcase and Day of Learning.
• Created the My Moment video series highlighting how young people around the world are using entrepreneurship as their path to financial inclusion.

The announcement was made on the eve of the NFTE Global Showcase, an annual event that brings some of the world’s best student entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship teachers to New York City to share and be recognized for their achievements.

“We simply could not do what we do without the generosity and vision of our friends at MasterCard,” said Shawn Osborne, president and CEO of NFTE. “Their ongoing support for expanding inclusion through entrepreneurship is inspiring and broad – not just financial. MasterCard employees volunteer in our classrooms and mentor our students, it’s an amazing and fully engaging commitment.”