FORT FRANCES, ON: Seven Generations Education Institute (SGEI) is honoured to announce a $10 million gift from the Mastercard Foundation, building on the Foundation’s EleV Program. This investment supports SGEI to continue and advance its work in lifelong learning for First Nations youth, their families, and communities in Treaty #3 Territory and surrounding regions.
“This recognition reflects the vision and hard work of our learners, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and staff who carry forward the responsibility of revitalizing language, culture, and education for future generations,” said Brent Tookenay, CEO of Seven Generations Education Institute. “We are deeply grateful to the Mastercard Foundation for walking alongside us in this journey.”
For the past five years, SGEI and the Mastercard Foundation have partnered to offer programs based on Anishinaabe knowledge and ways of learning. Programs like the Adult Anishinaabemowin Revitalization program and Azhemiinigoziwin (our Women’s Transition Program) have helped learners reconnect with Anishinaabe language and culture, supporting identity, resilience, and leadership. Learners say these experiences have changed their lives, giving them more pride, confidence, and belonging.
This partnership with the Foundation has also strengthened SGEI’s technological capacity. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education across Canada, SGEI adapted rapidly, becoming an early adopter in upgrading digital tools and expanding remote learning opportunities that continue to reach learners in communities far from campus. These advances now provide a foundation for broader access to education and skills training in the years ahead.
The $10 million investment from the Mastercard Foundation will help SGEI grow, stay financially strong, and make a lasting difference with the development of a strategy that secures future sustainability and new opportunities for First Nations learners.
“This gift is not only recognition of the work that has been done but an invitation for partnership to continue building a hopeful future together,” added Naomi Field, Board Chair, SGEI. “It strengthens our ability to provide pathways into higher education, employment, and community leadership while remaining grounded in Anishinaabe language, culture, and values.”
From its beginning as the Rainy Lake Ojibway Education Authority in 1985, Seven Generations Education Institute has made Anishinaabe language and culture central to its programs and supports.
The SGEI logo, which depicts a sunrise, reflects new beginnings and learning. This new investment continues that tradition, keeping education as a source of hope and opportunity for future generations to come.
About Seven Generations Education Institute
Seven Generations Education Institute (SGEI) is an Indigenous-led educational organization that provides secondary, post-secondary, training for employment and other programming to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the Treaty 3 area and beyond. With campuses in the Rainy River District, Kenora, and Sioux Lookout, and secondary education classrooms in more than 20 communities in northwestern Ontario, SGEI aims to provide culturally enriched community-based and student-centered learning opportunities for everyone. For more information, visit 7generations.org.
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary organizations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. Its Young Africa Works strategy aims to enable 30 million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030, while its EleV strategy will support 100,000 Indigenous youth in Canada to complete their education and transition to meaningful work aligned with their traditions, values, and aspirations. Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation is an independent organization. Its policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by its Board of Directors and Leadership team.
For more information, contact
Laurie Robinson
Special Advisor to the CEO
Seven Generations Education Institute
laurier@7generations.org