Over the past three years, Mastercard Foundation Scholar and fourth year student Damaris Nzala (Class of 2026, Zambia) has developed into the kind of leader EARTH is focused on developing: one prepared to go out into the world and make the changes needed in their communities. From serving as President of the African Student Union to taking leadership in other on-campus groups, she has stretched herself and grown in new ways. She is prepared to return to her community and help address the challenges faced on the African continent.

What if rural communities did not depend on external aid, but instead on their ability to compete, grow, and sustain their own processes over time? The AMATE Project by EARTH Futures Developing Solutions introduces a new model designed to strengthen capacities, connect stakeholders, and link territories with new opportunities in agritourism.

For IGIHOZO Kauthar Sabrina (Class of 2029, Rwanda), studying and bettering herself has always been a way of life. At the age of 23, older than the average EARTH student, Sabrina’s maturity and clear-headed focus are evident when she speaks about going through an illness and moving to another continent to study, and about a mother who has always encouraged her children to do what they love. In honor of International Women’s Day we remember those who have advanced opportunities for women, and those like Sabrina, who are leading the next generation forward.

After seven years of applying for scholarships while working to support her family, Maken Love Mallebranche (Class of 2027, Haiti) received the call that would change her life: news that she had received a full scholarship to study at EARTH. Hers is the story of a young Haitian woman who turned loss, waiting, and uncertainty into purpose.

When Débora Flores Vásquez (Class of 2026, Guatemala) began her studies at EARTH she knew she had found the place that would form her career. From her work on vanilla cultivation during her third-year Internship at an eco-lodge and retreat center in Oaxaca, Mexico, to her Graduation Project plan to formulate a yogurt-like product with a healthful bacteria and additional fiber, she is amassing a diverse set of skills. After graduation at the end of 2026, she is eager to apply all she has learned at her family farm and in her community of Rio Dulce, Guatemala.

Khaalid Ahmed Awali (Class of 2018, Somaliland) has carved a career path that combines agriculture and technology to address real challenges in the field. Drawing on his education at EARTH, he has advanced practical solutions that support smallholder farmers, improve production processes, and strengthen access to local markets.

EARTH and INTA are strengthening a strategic alliance that promotes applied research, agricultural innovation, and leadership development. Through joint projects in Costa Rica—including the development of value-added products from sweet potato, both institutions combine knowledge, experience, and learning to generate a positive impact on the agricultural sector…

From their first year, EARTH students learn how to turn ideas into sustainable businesses. Thanks to the support of funds such as the Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund (SEF) and the Katherine John Murphy Fund, many of these projects have successfully made the leap from an idea to making a real impact in communities…