Kama Scholars Foundation

Ambassador: Bal Kama , Papua New Guinea

Growing up in rural Papua New Guinea, Bal Kama experienced the shortfalls and inequities inherent to the education system. Upon receiving a Doctorate in Law, Bal Kama founded the Kama Scholars Foundation (KSF) with the aim of correcting what was wrong with the education system. Since its founding in 2013, KSF has operated in the Simbu Province of PNG and has impacted thousands of students across remote schools. In addition to the 2,000 students that have been enrolled in classes, and the 76 that have received scholarships for secondary education, KSF has been actively involved in creating gender equality, with over 85% of the scholarships’ financial support going to women, who are typically marginalised in the local education system. 


KSF also created special scholarships for disabled students to encourage tolerance and acceptance in schools and supports the only disability school in Simbu Province with computers, giving access to 120 disabled students. KSF also introduced computer learning technology in remote village schools with over 500 students and currently, this school is the first in the country to teach and graduate students with basic computing literacy. With more financial and logistical support, KSF aims to extend this initiative to other village communities throughout the country. 
KSF’s work doesn’t stop with education; the foundation has also been a strong supporter of local health projects. Over 10,300 people have received health care, and 500 had received clean drinking water as a direct result of KSF’s initiatives.