Jennifer Akaade and Theophilus Ofori are two MasterCard Scholars who joined the Master of Engineering program at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in September 2024. As a part of the MasterCard Foundation initiative, this Scholarship aims to further education, leadership, and skill development for young people from Africa, while working to address systemic barriers in higher education.
Read more about these scholars below.
Jennifer Akaade
Jennifer Akaade is a highly accomplished computer engineering graduate from Ashesi University, where she earned a first-class degree. As part of her academic journey, she was selected as the only female engineering student for a competitive exchange program at UC Berkeley, where she participated in the Startup Semester at the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology. Her achievements extend beyond the classroom, with recognition as a finalist in Harvard’s Aspire Leaders Program and a scholar in the Kufuor Scholars Program. Her contributions to projects like the Elise Journey healthcare app and innovative solutions to address Ghana’s hospital bed shortage exemplifies her commitment to leveraging technology for societal impact.
“The MasterCard Scholarship is a transformative opportunity that empowers me to pursue my passion for biomedical engineering without financial constraints. It enables me to focus on my studies, and work toward creating impactful solutions in healthcare. With this support, I am one step closer to realizing my goal of becoming a leader in health entrepreneurship and making a positive difference in the world.”
Theophilus Ofori
Theophilus Ofori is an experienced biomedical engineer with expertise in medical equipment management, planning, manufacturing, and clinical research. With a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, he currently leads the radiology department at Medylife Healthcare Limited in Accra, overseeing a team of seven radiographers and managing equipment across multiple medical units.
Ofori is the youngest member of a national technical working group developing Ghana’s National Medical Device Policy. He also serves as the Clinical Engineering Manager at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, overseeing the maintenance and performance of medical equipment in the child health and radiology departments.
His dedication to community service is evident through his volunteer work with the Himalayan Cataract Project, Health Access Network, and Operation Smile Ghana, focusing on maintaining ophthalmic and surgical equipment.
Growing up, it was my dream to make a significant impact in the healthcare sector. Joining the Mastercard Scholars Program offers me the financial support I need to realize that dream. I am thrilled about the opportunity this scholarship provides, allowing me to access top-tier resources, mentorship, and training in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto. Being part of a movement of young Africans who are driven to become transformative leaders in Africa’s healthcare space excites me. As a Mastercard Scholar, I feel fully empowered to pursue my dream of developing sustainable systems and technologies to reduce maternal and child mortality in resource-limited settings.