![🇷🇼](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/1f1f7-1f1fc.svg)
East Africa Manager
Sciences Po Paris
![](https://wia-initiative.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Cynthia-Isimbi.jpeg)
Cynthia’s journey with Sciences Po started in December 2020 as a Program Coordinator of their Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, designed for African students who demonstrate academic excellence and strong leadership potential, but who face difficulties or do not have the funds to access higher education.
It is a full merit-based scholarship program that gives them the opportunity to have access to one of 29 masters’ programs at Sciences Po. In this role, she worked closely with several departments and institutions to support more than 100 African students in their personal and professional development. Today, I am happy that they have secured dignified and fulfilling employment across Africa and Europe.
Listening to their stories inspired her and enhanced her interest to have an impact on ground and towards attaining Sustainable Development Goals, especially quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, as well as climate action. In September 2023, she moved to Nairobi, to be the Representative of Sciences Po in East Africa. She promotes their training programs and various scholarships within the region, as well as develops and maintains institutional relations for instance with their partner universities, embassies and local civil society organizations to enhance access to higher education to young people from Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as economic opportunities.
Apart from being an advocate of empowering young people through education, in the coming years, she hopes to write a book, create a card game to empower more women across the world, collaborate with institutions to create more opportunities for young people from Sub-Saharan Africa, work with fashion brands, such Dior and Chanel, to implement a fashion show in Kenya, where there is an incredible art scene with many emerging artists.
Beyond her professional journey and multiple passions, Cynthia is a global citizen, who was born in Rwanda, grew up in Ethiopia and Ghana, then lived more than 20 years in France and today is based in Nairobi. She is also a single mother of a 5-year-old boy.
She holds a BEP carrières sanitaires et sociales from Lycée Gutenberg, thanks to the scholarship of the French Government a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s degree in International Studies from the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3.
She looks forward to connecting with this sorority cohort to have more impact in her personal and professional goals.