Muhammed Coker has gone from Mandela Rhodes Foundation scholar at the University of Cape Town (UCT) to winner of a $40 000 McCall MacBain Scholarship, one of the world’s most prestigious leadership awards.
Coker completed a postgraduate diploma in Management and Entrepreneurship at UCT. He will use the scholarship to pursue a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics at McGill University in Canada later this year.
‘It symbolises possibility’
Coker said receiving the award moved him deeply.
“Receiving this award is deeply emotional for me because it represents more than personal success. It symbolises possibility for every young person from an underrepresented background who has ever wondered whether their dreams are valid,” he said.
He was selected through a highly competitive international process and joins a small cohort of emerging leaders recognised for their drive to create meaningful change.
How UCT shaped his thinking
Coker said UCT changed how he understood leadership.
“I arrived thinking impact was mostly about individual excellence and hard work, but UCT taught me the power of diverse perspectives, difficult conversations and learning from people whose experiences are very different from my own,” he said.
The project that changed everything
A student-led initiative called Unipay became a turning point. The project connected students to short-term job opportunities to ease financial pressure.
“What made the experience so powerful for me was realising how many students quietly carry the burden of financial stress while trying to pursue their education.
“Through this project, I began to see leadership differently not as a position or title, but as the ability to identify real challenges affecting people and work collaboratively to create practical solutions,” Coker said.
Agro Incubation Hub
Outside his studies, Coker founded the Agro Incubation Hub, through which he has helped youth and women smallholder farmers adopt sustainable agricultural practices and improve their financial literacy.
At McGill, he plans to research how smallholder farmers engage with agricultural technologies and food security programmes in the face of resource constraints and climate change.
“I carry this opportunity not only for myself, but for many people whose hopes are tied to my journey,” he said.
Message to young people
Coker’s message to other young people is direct.
“You don’t need everything figured out. Courage is often more important than confidence. You just need to believe that your voice, your work and your dreams matter.
“I come from a humble family background and there were many moments where I questioned whether I truly belonged in these spaces. Sometimes, the very experiences that make you doubt yourself are the same experiences that make your story powerful,” he said.
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