By Yassmine Eladib | International Media Manager
Rachad is an Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) Scholar from Parakou, northern Benin, where he learned at an early age how fragile access to opportunity can be. After losing his father at a young age, his family faced serious financial hardship. Overcrowded classrooms and limited resources could have constrained his future, but Rachad showed determination and curiosity. He remained committed to his education and taught himself computer and media skills independently, laying the groundwork for his academic and professional development.
This resilience led him to the Ashinaga Africa Initiative, which enabled him to continue his studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted higher education and financial stability across the region. Today, Rachad is a fourth-year student at Waseda University in Japan, studying Violence, Conflict, and Development. Access to quality education has not only expanded his academic knowledge but also helped him develop practical skills and professional experience aligned with his future ambitions.
As an AAI Scholar, Rachad has completed two internships that sharpened his skills and clarified his goals. His first internship at the National Television of Benin involved producing on-air reports; seeing his work broadcast globally gave him the confidence that his voice could drive real change. This experience also exposed him to the realities of media work at home and strengthened his commitment to becoming an effective communicator.
During his second internship with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Senegal, Rachad supported communication strategies for programs assisting returnees, including reintegration support and awareness campaigns about safe, legal migration pathways. A communications mission in Rosso, near the Mauritania border, was particularly impactful: “It was incredibly eye-opening… People risk everything for opportunities that seem basic to everyone: safety, food, and a stable income.”
Together, these experiences shaped his ambition to use journalism and storytelling not only to inform but also to advocate for safer, more dignified mobility and to amplify often-overlooked voices.
Rachad’s journey demonstrates how access to quality education enables talented African students to overcome adversity, develop professional skills, and prepare for meaningful careers. With continued support, Ashinaga Africa Initiative Scholars like him are equipped to give back to their communities and help build safer, more dignified futures across Africa.
Links:
By Yassmine Eladib | International Media Manager
By Yassmine Eladib | International Media Manager
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
