Dear Friends,

When Innocent Farai Chikwanda ’25 was named to the Rhodes Scholar Class of 2026, he joined one of the most selective academic communities in the world. The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded to fewer than 100 students globally each year, chosen for academic distinction, character, leadership, and a demonstrated commitment to something larger than themselves.

Every year, Ashesi welcomes students with a firm belief that they can grow to become the transformational leaders that Africa needs and deserves. We work with them on a journey of discovery that prepares them for a brighter future for themselves and for society. Innocent’s story is proof that this formulation is working.

Twenty-four years ago, we opened with the question, “What would happen if Africa educated its next generation of leaders differently?” Our students, alumni, and community are providing an answer. And that answer is now inspiring many more to ask the same question. Through the Education Collaborative, which has now engaged 490 higher education institutions across the continent, we are working with our peers to strengthen learning for hundreds of thousands of students across Africa.

None of this could have happened without your partnership: the scholarships that have made Ashesi reachable for students who had no other path here; the infrastructure that enables exceptional learning and innovation; the philanthropy that enabled us to convene and curate meaningful conversations with other African universities.

We are honored by your partnership and energized by the responsibility it presents. Thank you for being on this journey with us; for the trust, renewed year after year, that Ashesi’s work will positively impact the future of Africa.

Sincerely,