By Njoki Chege

On February 14, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at USIU-Africa hosted an enriching training session focused on Proposal Writing for Community Action Projects. This training aimed to equip Mastercard Foundation Scholars with the necessary skills to design compelling proposals for impactful community action projects.

The training, facilitated by Mr. Carol O. Yogo, a Senior Research Officer at USIU-Africa and Chair of the USIU-Africa Staff Council, offered engaging discussions on the proposal writing process. With his extensive experience in both research and project management, Yogo took the Mastercard Foundation Scholars through the articulation of their project goals to ensure that they resonate with the needs of their communities.

One key area of discussion was the importance of aligning community projects with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yogo highlighted that “Successful proposals should not only tackle local community challenges but also connect to global priorities like the Sustainable Development Goals. I encourage you to focus on two specific SDGs—this will help narrow your project objectives and clearly show how your initiatives align with broader global development goals.”

Mr. Yogo also shared his personal experience with a rural education project aimed at improving educational access and quality. Framed around SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, this project exemplified how aligning a local project with global priorities can strengthen its impact. By linking his project to these SDGs, he ensured that they are relevant to local needs and consistent with global development frameworks.

A major theme of the training was sustainability. While securing initial funding is crucial, he emphasized that ensuring a project's long-term viability is equally important. “Proposals must outline clear sustainability strategies, such as community involvement, capacity building, or plans for future funding. This focus on sustainability ties into the broader SDG agenda, which stresses the need for creating self-sustaining solutions to global challenges,” he said.

Yogo also encouraged the Mastercard Foundation Scholars to think beyond conventional solutions when developing their project ideas. He stressed the importance of creativity and innovation in addressing community needs, urging the Mastercard Foundation Scholars to explore new, forward-thinking approaches that will set their proposals up for long-term success.