Reeta Roy is President and CEO of the MasterCard Foundation, a major philanthropic organisation focused on microfinance and youth learning initiatives. Under her leadership, the Foundation has prioritised its most substantial commitments to Africa. It forges large-scale partnerships with a diverse range of organisations and initiates large-scale initiatives.
The MasterCard Foundation, established in 2006, is an independent, global organisation based in Toronto, Canada, with more than $30bn in assets. Through collaboration with partner organisations in 49 countries, mostly in Africa, it is creating opportunities for all to learn and prosper.
The Foundation’s programmes promote financial inclusion and advance youth learning. Established in 2006 through the generosity of MasterCard Worldwide when it became a public company, the Foundation is separate and independent from the company, MasterCard Worldwide.
Reeta Roy, a passionate advocate for youth employment and financial inclusion, travels extensively in the areas the Foundation is involved in. She is a member of the Aspen Philanthropy Group and the World Economic Forum on Social Innovation.
She has spoken at a wide array of fora, including the UN General Assembly, the Clinton Global Initiative, the World Innovation Summit for Education and the UNESCO Youth Forum.
In this interview with New African’s Editor, Anver Versi, she explains how the Foundation’s new campaign, the ambitious ‘Young Africa Works’, is designed to help create 30m new jobs by 2030.