From Cuba to Mexico to the United States, the story of Frankys de la Osa (Class of 2002, Cuba) is one of relocation, learning, and constant reinvention. Frankys transformed his curiosity into practical tools to build, innovate, and begin again, first through a family citrus business and now through a new agricultural project in Florida. His journey reflects how education, memory, and adaptability can take root anywhere.
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.
Patricia de Oliveira (Class of 2003, Brazil) has built a path where entrepreneurship and social impact go hand in hand. From her years as a student to the creation of three language schools in Brazil, her story reflects a clear conviction: businesses can become tools to transform lives.
Martinho Da Silva Tembo (Class of 2018, Zambia) works as a software engineer in Mexico as he continues to apply his background in agriculture through investments in Zambia. Beyond agriculture, the most important takeaway from Martinho’s EARTH experience was an inspiration to promote positive community development and give back to the people around him.
Growing up in a community where most people relied on subsistence farming, Jean Fernando Randriamiajason (Class of 2018, Madagascar) was always encouraged to dream big, work hard, and help those he could. At EARTH, Fernando deepened not only his knowledge of agricultural sciences but also his ability to think critically and interact with others. He has incorporated all these lessons in a variety of sectors in his country, and he hopes to continue to keep building opportunities for his community.
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.
March is the month when we commemorate the voices of the women who make EARTH’s mission—and the transformation of the world—possible. In this story, we share the stories of a professor, a graduate, a student, and a staff member, all of whom have turned persistence, care, and courage into tools to forge their own paths.
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.
Emmanuel Mark Fornah (Class of 2014) and Aiah Umar Konoboy (Class of 2015), both from Sierra Leone, are two examples of how EARTH’s hands-on approach goes beyond the classroom and translates into real impact. Today they work in fruit production in their country, applying the knowledge, technical skills, and leadership capacities gained at the University.
From crop management to supporting work teams, they are demonstrating how a learning-by-doing education prepares professionals capable of creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and transforming production systems.
Through her leadership in sustainable agribusiness programs and initiatives across Latin America, Adriana Escobedo (Class of 2007, Costa Rica) has built a career defined by community development, entrepreneurship, and education. Her experience shows how agribusiness—when people are placed at the center—can strengthen local economies and generate long-term impact.
Raphaël Loubert (Class of 2018, Belgium), who arrived in Costa Rica as a traveler, found at EARTH the starting point for his life’s purpose. His experience in a multicultural environment with hands-on learning and a strong sense of community shaped both his personal and professional development. Today, based in Belgium, he works in environmental education, leading projects inspired by EARTH’s educational model.
Emmanuel Cooper Gonfatee (Class of 2015, Liberia) has built a career focused on science, sustainability, and agricultural innovation. From his work with farmers in Liberia to his doctoral studies in weed management and digital agriculture, he is applying the hands-on and environmental approach he learned at EARTH to protect crops and strengthen leadership in the field.
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.
In San Juan La Laguna, Sololá, Guatemala, coffee is much more than a crop—it is identity and livelihood. Through the Resilient Agrifood Systems Project led by EARTH Futures, smallholder producers like Federico Manuel Ujpan are strengthening their productive, organizational, and commercial capacities, advancing toward a more sustainable organic coffee sector.
From a childhood shaped by learning through agriculture to her participation in the Resilient Agrifood Systems Project of EARTH Futures, Doris’s story shows that knowledge can be gained through hands-on learning. Today she leads, shares, and applies agroecological practices alongside other women in her community.
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…
Komlan Kekeli Batchey (Class of 2021), a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni, grew up in a farming community in Togo. As a child he helped his mother grow and sell green beans and lettuce from her garden…
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…
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