EARTH Stories

Racheal Adol Ajang, fourth-year student and Mastercard Foundation Scholar at EARTH, was born and raised in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. From teaching in the camp’s secondary school to founding an organization to support young girls, she arrived at EARTH with a demonstrated commitment to getting involved wherever she was needed. Today, as she looks toward graduation day, she plans to continue making an impact as a leader in agriculture. On this World Refugee Day, we honor the stories of young people like Racheal, who show us the power of strength and resilience.

Love stories that began between classes, sisters who crossed continents to study the same career, and children who chose to follow in their parents’ footsteps. These are some of the families who have made EARTH more than a University: it’s a meeting point between generations.

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.

As part of the Professional Experience course, EARTH University students work on projects that connect academic learning with real-world needs, facing technical, production, and market decisions in concrete scenarios. This was the challenge of students Edith Villatoro, Tayra Camel, and Débora Flores (Class of 2026, Guatemala), who developed a proposal to diversify the flavors of 

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.