Young Scientists for Africa

Founded by Prof Clare Elwell (UCL Biomedical Engineering), Young Scientists for Africa (YoSA) is a UK-registered charity committed to motivating, developing and sponsoring scientific interest in students in Africa. 

The Clare Elwell Scholarship supports young African science students to attend the London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF). The scholarship is aimed at students with a keen interest in science for whom other financial support would not normally be available. There is a significant under-representation of African students at LIYSF. Attending the forum has a huge personal impact on the people who attend - they have the opportunity to meet peers and learn about scientific initiatives from around the world. These connections will support international collaboration and be invaluable in their careers.

Their scholarships are given to Africa's most talented young scientists. Each scholarship student is committed to an African based career in science to positively impact their communities and inspire the next generation of African scientists. YoSA's network provides access to internships and other career opportunities to help them succeed. As the number of scholarships grows they are empowering more young African scientists to change their future and provide the critical innovations needed by Africa.

YoSA has been entirely self-funded but in order to support even more students, they need to raise external funds. They are now on the charitable crowdfunding platform, Global Giving. The donation window is open until the end of December, and every donation received on Wednesday 12 December will receive matched funding. 

To find out more about Young Scientists for Africa and donate, please visit their Global Giving project page.