Empowering the next generation

Dakota Crossing

St. Boniface

St. Vital

Wolseley

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This article was published 08/03/2023 (939 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fatima Janneh and Divine Karuba are feeling empowered.

Janneh, a Grade 12 student at Centre scolaire Léo-Rémillard, and Karuba, a Grade 12 student at Collège Louis-Riel, are among a select group of 20 Canadian high school students to receive the RBC Future Launch Black scholarship.

The scholarships are intended to empower Black students by providing financial support and mentorship from RBC and community partners to enhance their post-secondary educations and to help prepare them for the working world.

According to a news release, the scholarship — which is awarded to Black students aged 15 to 29 — provides $10,000 annually for up to four years to be used towards academic and other expenses. Black youth from across Canada were considered for the annual award, now in its second year, which recognizes both strong academic performance and community involvement, officials say.

“It honestly feels very overwhelming, but at the same I’m very grateful to receive this scholarship,” Janneh, 17, said.

“I’m very motivated by getting top scores in high school and being a leader in the community. It’s fulfilling to see all my hard work pay off and this gives me a boost to continue this momentum into my post-secondary education.”

Passionate about social activism, Janneh — who lives in St. Vital — is the co-founder of the Winnipeg Black Renaissance, an organization dedicated to highlighting black businesses across the nation, and she’s the arts and culture representative on her student council. She also referees basketball games for younger students.

“When I was in Grade 9, me and a few friends formed the Winnipeg Black Renaissance, as we wanted to shine a light on and raise awareness about Black businesses and services in Manitoba,” Janneh said, noting “fifty per cent of Black-owned businesses don’t make it past the fifth year.”

“This is a movement, and it feels like I’m contributing to the community like I need to, which is fulfilling.”

Janneh’s academic interests lie in math and sciences, and she hopes to become an engineer and help underprivileged communities.

“There are so many problems in the world, and I’d like to contribute to finding solutions,” she said.

Karuba’s academic interests also lie in science, with a specific focus on biology-driven disciplines and engineering, and she’d like to use her post-secondary studies to ultimately help her find solutions regarding important issues such as climate change and sustainable communities.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Karuba said, reflecting on receiving the scholarship.

“It was an honourable moment hearing the news, and I’m very happy for me and my family. This scholarship allows me the liberty of attending any school I wish in Canada.”

The 17-year-old Wolseley resident has been working at the YMCA-YWCA since last summer, originally as a day camp counsellor for kids aged four to 13. Currently, she coaches basketball there to kids aged six to 12 and also referees basketball games for younger students in the school system. Karuba has also volunteered at Siloam Mission, organizing clothing donations.

Both girls called the scholarships life-changing and are grateful to RBC for giving them this platform. The scholarship selection committee is comprised of Black academics, business and youth-serving leaders, according to the release.