Baobab is a social-learning platform that connects Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Alumni, and African-connected youth worldwide, offering opportunities such as jobs, internships, scholarships, funding, courses, mentorship, and events (including AMAs and an Alumni Magazine).

Baobab was created as the Mastercard Foundation's digital Alumni engagement strategy, designed to foster a lifelong community of collaboration, learning, and personal growth among current program participants and Alumni.

The name was chosen by Mastercard Foundation scholars through a naming challenge on the Mastercard Foundation Community Facebook group. "Baobab" received the most votes.

The Baobab tree represents a place where the community gathers to listen, exchange ideas and learn from one another. Like the baobab tree, the Baobab platform is the place to connect, learn new skills and be inspired to make a difference in the lives of others.

Baobab is a platform for current participants and Alumni of Mastercard Foundation programs, as well as others who share similar interests, goals, and experiences related to Transformative Leadership and giving back to the African continent. Baobab makes it easier than traditional platforms like Facebook to connect with people who share your passions and experience.

In addition to networking, Baobab offers features you won't find on mainstream social media:

Opportunities: The Baobab community, partners, Mastercard Foundation, and the Baobab team regularly post job, internship, scholarship, fellowship, and funding opportunities on the Opportunities page. It's a place for Scholars and Alumni to discover and apply for opportunities, and to share them with their own communities.

Mentorship: Baobab offers mentorship experience through Alumni Fellowship, Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions, and 1:1 Mentorship. Whether you're seeking guidance, sharing your expertise, or building meaningful connections, Baobab Mentorship supports your growth.

Learning: Baobab offers courses on Transformative Leadership, professional skills, personal wellbeing, and more. Members also learn from each other through digital networking events, workshops, and community sessions listed on the Events Page. Every feature on Baobab can be a learning opportunity!

Click the "Join now" button at the top right corner of the site and follow the registration steps. If you need help creating your Baobab account, contact the Baobab Support Team using the email support@baobabplatform.org.

Connect with Baobab Ambassadors near you. Ambassadors are Baobab superusers who help you navigate the platform and connect you to activities and opportunities in your region. If you're not sure who your ambassador is, email support@baobabplatform.org to find out.

Browse the feed and see what other members are posting. If you like a post, write a comment or send the member a chat message.

Explore the Opportunities page curated just for you. See if you qualify for an opportunity and apply.

Take a Baobab course and share what you learned in the feed.

Check out the Ask Me Anything (AMA) page and post a question for a mentor who is holding an AMA session.

Join or attend Baobab Events, such as webinars, challenges, or community meetups, to connect with Scholars, Alumni, and mentors in real time. These events are great ways to learn, network, and showcase your impact.

Follow these steps:

• Go to https://www.baobabplatform.org/ and click Log in
• Scroll down the page and click on "Forgot My Password."
• For Email: On the next page, enter the email address associated with your Baobab account and click "Request One Time Magic Link." A password reset email will be sent to you. If it does not appear in your inbox, please check your Spam or Junk folder.

Please be patient and avoid requesting multiple links, as this will invalidate the first one. Open the email, click the "Reset Password" link, and follow the on-screen instructions to create a new password.

• For Phone Number: On the next page, select your country, enter your phone number associated with your Baobab account and click on the 'Reset Password' button. A password reset link will be sent to your phone via SMS. Please be patient and do not request another one, as it will invalidate the first one. When you open the SMS, click on the link. You will be redirected to a web page where you can Change Your Password.

Note: The reset password link is only good for 24 hours. Therefore, it is best to request it when you have a few minutes to complete the process.

To create a post, click on the "Create Post" button on your feed. You can share updates, articles, photos, or opportunities relevant to the community. Remember to follow Baobab's community guidelines, keep your content respectful, professional, and inspiring

Yes. Baobab is available both as a mobile app and through your web browser.

You can download the Baobab app from the Google Play Store by searching for "Baobab Android Platform."

Note: The app is currently available for Android devices only. If you use an iPhone or iPad, you can still access Baobab through your web browser at www.baobabplatform.org

Baobab courses are created in collaboration with the Baobab team, African subject-matter experts, academics, and industry partners. Courses are designed to be culturally relevant and are updated based on user feedback and emerging community needs.

Yes. Baobab courses award a digital certificate of completion once you've finished all modules and achieved a minimum score of 80%. You can download your certificate from your course dashboard or share it directly to your profile. Some of our courses come with a branded certificate which have a logo of the organization we partnered with the create the course.

Opportunities are posted by community members and partners, and the Baobab team helps maintain quality by vetting submissions and adding verification badges to credible listings.

Community posting is encouraged, and verified opportunities may include jobs, internships, scholarships, funding, and partner programs such as AIR and FAST.

The Baobab team is currently focused on creating courses that prepare young Africans for life after graduation, building Transformative Leadership qualities and skills, and entrepreneurship. Courses are created as a response to the needs and desires of African youth. User feedback helps us prioritize what courses to create.

Baobab offers group and one-on-one mentorship, Ask-Me-Anything sessions, and Alumni in Residence fellowship. Alumni are actively recruited to serve as mentors, look for the "Become a Mentor" callout or apply via the Mentorship page. To find a mentor, check mentorship announcements, sign up for AMAs, and join regional alumni or thematic groups.

The Baobab community includes Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni, program partners and staff, experts and mentors, and other African-connected professionals and students, including a strong Francophone community. Alumni actively contribute as mentors, content creators, and opportunity posters; partners and the Baobab team also post curated opportunities and host Ask Me Anything (AMA) events and mentorship programs.

A Baobab Ambassador is someone who advocates for Baobab by proactively using his or her social influence to increase awareness and drive action. The goal of a Baobab Ambassador is to increase the number of Mastercard Foundation participants and Alumni who believe in the value of Baobab, ultimately increasing the number of African youths on Baobab.

To become an Ambassador, Mastercard Foundation Scholars demonstrate active engagement on Baobab (regular posts, events, outreach) and apply though a link provided by current university ambassadors. The selection process may include reviewing your activity, a short application form, and confirmation of your local outreach plan. Ambassador applications open once a year in April or May.

The Baobab Summit is an annual gathering of Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Alumni, and partners. It celebrates learning, leadership, and community impact. Attendance is usually by invitation through partner institutions, Speak Your Mind contest and active ambassadors often have priority to represent their communities.

The Baobab Ambassador program is an incentive-based program. Baobab Ambassadors are able to participate in contests and challenges to win prizes not available to the rest of the community. The 4-5 most active ambassadors that year are chosen to go to the Summit.

Baobab swag is awarded to Baobab Ambassadors.