The winning solution, "Hayat," developedby Ahmed Alawadhi and Marya Alabbasi from the Bahrain Institute of Banking andFinance (BIBF) and Matia Ahmed from Bahrain Polytechnic, is a carbon offsettingplatform aimed at enhancing climate mitigation efforts through partnerships andcommunity involvement. The challenge saw five finalist solutions addressing keyfinancial inclusion challenges contributing to the Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs).

The final event was attended by Noor bint Ali AlKhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the BahrainEconomic Development Board, and Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfiqi, Minister of Youth,alongside industry experts. The judging panel included Shamina Singh, Founderand President of Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth, and Shaikh Mohamedbin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO of Beyon Digital. The solutions were evaluatedbased on innovation, feasibility, impact, and alignment with the SDGs.

The "Hayat" team was awarded a visit toMastercard’s EEMEA Headquarters in Dubai, a complimentary enrolment in an NFTDecoded course at the Mastercard Academy, and a three-month paid internship atthe BENEFIT Company. The team will also have access to support tools throughStartup Bahrain, including resources from partners such as Reboot, Zoho,Freshworks, Ordable, and HyperGrowth, to further scale their solution.

Noor bint Ali Al Khulaif emphasised the importanceof initiatives like the Mastercard Challenge, which provide young people withopportunities to develop practical solutions using financial inclusion as a keyenabler for a more sustainable future. She noted that equipping youth withskills such as data analytics and artificial intelligence strengthens Bahrain’srole as a regional leader in the financial sector. She also highlighted thevalue of public-private partnerships, such as this collaboration withMastercard, in fostering innovation and empowering young talent.

Shamina Singh, Founder and President of theMastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, expressed her pride in the creativityand commitment shown by the students. She highlighted Mastercard’s commitmentto digital inclusion and fostering sustainable growth, adding that thisplatform provided young leaders with opportunities to showcase their potentialand contribute to a more sustainable future.

The Mastercard Challenge was a collaborationbetween Mastercard, the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Tamkeen, BENEFIT,and Startup Bahrain. Finalists were selected from an initial pool ofparticipants and underwent an intensive three-week summer bootcamp, includingmentorship sessions with industry experts. The event showcased the innovativepotential of Bahrain’s youth, underlining the nation’s commitment to empoweringemerging talent with the tools, resources, and support to create impactfulsolutions for a more inclusive and sustainable future.