After generously supporting Tandana's scholarship program in Ecuador for 15 years, Dr. Ash B. Varma, M.D. made a major gift to start a new scholarship program in Mali.  This program helps students from rural Mali learn professions that are in great demand in the rural communities, such as health professions and agrofrestry. The scholarship covers 50% of a student’s costs for a year, while the student and their family cover the other 50%. These scholarships not only allow students to access a better future but also help the communities find trained professionals to serve their area. In exchange for Tandana's support, scholarship recipients engage in community service to share their new skills and knowledge to support rural communities and gain practical experience.

The program started in 2021 with 18 students.  Hear from some of the students below:


Dr. Varma also created Tandana's first endowed fund to start providing sustainable funding for the Ecuador scholarship program!


Hear from Dr. Varma about his inspiration for such generous support for education below:


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