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When Sarah Mugoli Balekage ’25 speaks about her path to Oxford University, she rarely starts with grades, interviews, or accolades. Instead, she begins with faith. 

“Everything I do is driven by a deep understanding of God’s love for humanity,” Balekage says. “I am humbled daily by knowing that He cares about people even more than I do; and among many, He chooses to use me to bring hope to the world. Through my story, I want people to encounter His love and to know that He is real. One of my biggest missions in life is to empower women in Congo and Africa through education and partner with multinational organizations to advance their development.”

For Balekage, who has begun a master’s program in African studies at Oxford this fall through the prestigious Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, education has never been just about herself. It has always been about the lives she hopes to change. 

Balekage grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where her father spent years working with humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross and Finn Church Aid. His focus on child protection and microeconomics for vulnerable populations deeply influenced her vision. 

“Whenever my dad came home, he brought flyers from the organizations he worked with,” Balekage says. “Everything was powered by education. He wanted education to be a tool that could change the situation in our country.”

Balekage watched her parents defy cultural and economic pressures by educating both sons and daughters equally.

“Whenever my mom would have a newborn, our relatives would send young girls from our village to babysit us instead of going to school,” Balekage explains. “However, my parents would not let them work. Instead they would put them in school to learn, be stable in life, and help their families back in the village. When I saw that, I knew I wanted to be like my parents one day.”

At 17, Balekage left the DRC to attend the United World College (UWC) in Hong Kong, where she first learned English and encountered peers from more than 100 nationalities. 

“That’s where I realized that diversity itself can be a force for unity,” Balekage says. “I came from a place dominated by unending ethnic conflicts, so living in a place where students could celebrate their differences and learn from each other was eye-opening and informed my purpose. I learned that education could actually be a force to unite people for peace and sustainable future, and everyone lived daily by this mission.”

Her UWC experience opened the door to St. Oaf College through the Davis Scholars program. Arriving in Northfield, Balekage began as a social work major, drawn by her desire to support children and families. But as she advanced through the program, she encountered a major setback through which she recognized that the U.S.–based social work licensure track would not prepare her for the work she envisioned in Congo. 

“I loved social work, but I realized I needed something broader — something that would let me focus on advocacy and entrepreneurship as tools for change, yet holding fast onto my beliefs,” Balekage says. 

With guidance from faculty, Balekage designed her own individual major — Social Entrepreneurship and Community Advocacy. 

The shift required her to develop a new proposal, select coursework across departments, and present her vision to a faculty committee.

“[Balekage] stood out, and is a remarkable candidate for Oxford due to her curiosity, humility, and commitment to addressing complex social issues, particularly those affecting Africa,” says Professor of Political Science and Department Chair Douglas Casson, who advised Balekage on an independent study in International Conflict, Political Theory, and Relief Organizations. “She is inspiring — serious and light-hearted at the same time. What sets [Balekage] apart is her ability to connect academic insights with a call to action.”

For her senior capstone, Balekage launched the Binti Voice Initiative, a learning and empowerment platform she plans to develop into a nonprofit organization. Its mission: to combat child marriage and support Congolese survivors of gender-based violence through medical fundraising, storytelling, and community education. 

In a pilot project, she raised $475 — enough to cover medical expenses for women in DRC recovering from sexual violence. 

“It may not sound like much in U.S. dollars, but it’s helped nine women who were raped pay their medical bills,” Balekage says. “It showed me that if this much can be done with limited resources, then with more training and networks I can do even greater things.”

Casson noted that her work reflects a deep appreciation for the barriers in place to ending sexual abuse in the DRC. 

“Her approach to combating child marriage, inspired by Paolo Freire’s framework of empowerment through education, resources, and systemic change, demonstrates her nuanced understanding of the socioeconomic and cultural factors perpetuating this practice,” he says. “Her vision is both ambitious and grounded, reflecting a rare balance of idealism and practicality.” 

Balekage is quick to credit the mentors who encouraged her at St. Olaf — among them professors in social work, political science, and African history — alongside her family and faith community. When war in her hometown disrupted her studies and forced Balekage to rethink her major, she leaned on their support, as well as God’s. 

“I used to feel like I was putting my identity into my major and the impact I was going to make, but at the end of the day that could swallow me up or tear me down — it’s so heavy,” she says. “Now, I can take that pressure off my shoulders by reminding myself that I am simply a child of God, and I’m being used in a mighty way.”

Casson saw this resilience firsthand. 

“Her empathy, resilience, and collaborative spirit are what set her apart from other ambitious students,” Casson says. “She is candid about her areas for growth, yet she actively seeks opportunities to overcome these challenges, exemplifying a commitment to continuous improvement guided by a deep faith.”

Oxford wasn’t always part of Balekage’s plan. Initially, she considered a master’s in social work in Canada, but when those doors closed, she began to explore African studies, a field that combined her academic interest with her mission of community advocacy — and there was only one school she would consider for that. 

“Oxford was the only school I wanted, because it would give me the networks, the training, and the global platform I need,” Balekage says. “It is a world-renowned institution that hosts political events and influential speakers from all over the world who drive positive change. Pursuing my education there is very strategic to the impact I want to make in Congo and in Africa, through the exposure I will get and the wide alumni network. I want to secure this opportunity not just for me, but for all the women and minorities who will come after me and be inspired by my story of resilience.”

In March, she received her acceptance letter. Soon after, she was awarded the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship, which covers tuition, living expenses, travel, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for African students. Through the scholarship’s Ubuntu program, she will complete a post-graduate placement in Africa, applying her studies directly to community development. 

“I want to leverage my privileges, my education, and my network to advance education for women and end child marriage in the Congo and across Africa,” Balekage says. “Every scholarship I’ve received is more than a personal win, it’s a step up the ladder of change, enabling me to extend a hand to others climbing behind me. Every opportunity I have been given is for them.”

Balekage knows the challenges ahead are significant. Oxford’s academic rigor will test her limits, leaving her Northfield community is bittersweet, and the problems she seeks to address — poverty, gender inequality, systemic violence — are deeply entrenched. 

But for Balekage, these challenges are not obstacles. They are fuel. 

“I like to be challenged, because whenever I am stretched, I realize I can do even more,” she says. “And I believe that if at least one person’s life can be improved through this work, it’s all worth it”.