As a child, Kavya Bilal sold eggs barefoot in the streets of Nouakchott, Mauritania. Today, she is building Scholar Force, an award-winning platform dedicated to helping Mauritanian youth access global education, mentorship, and opportunity.
A 2025 alumna of the Aspire Leaders Program, Bilal has transformed her personal journey into a growing movement for educational equity. Supported by Aspire’s leadership training and strengthened by her lived experience, she is building a sustainable ecosystem designed to empower the next generation of leaders across her country and beyond.
Raised in a modest household in Dar Al-Beidha, El Mina district, she grew up with limited resources but a deep commitment to learning. Her parents had not pursued formal education, and many young people in her community faced restricted access to quality schooling and career pathways.
Yet from an early age, Bilal was determined not only to move forward, but to bring others with her.
“I used to sell eggs in the streets, often barefoot, while continuing my education,” she shared.
Even then, her instinct was to teach. If she learned something new, she shared it.
“Even if I learned 10 English words, I would go back and teach them. I didn’t want to just escape my environment, I wanted to transform it,” Bilal said.
Searching for Opportunity Beyond Borders
By 2019, while still in high school, Bilal set her sights on studying abroad. However, most scholarship pathways available to her were limited to regional government-sponsored programs. There was little structured guidance, mentorship, or accessible information about broader international opportunities.
So she began researching independently.
Her persistence paid off. She applied to two international scholarships and was accepted to both, one in the United Arab Emirates and one in Turkey. She chose the Emirates, later continuing her education in Indonesia.
Navigating College Internationally
Arriving in the UAE marked a turning point. For the first time, she was immersed in an English-speaking academic environment. Adapting requires determination. However, she found mentors and professors who invested in her growth. Over time, she strengthened her language skills, built confidence, and connected with peers from around the world.
Beyond the classroom, she participated in international conferences focused on diplomacy, youth empowerment, human rights, and education. Through these experiences, one realization became clear: access, not ability, is often the greatest barrier.
“My story is not unique. It reflects the reality of thousands of young Mauritanians who share the same ambition and potential but lack access to opportunities, mentorship, and academic guidance,”Bilal reflected.
Rooted in Purpose: A Commitment to Community Change
Bilal grew concerned about the trajectory of many young people around her. She saw classmates and neighbors losing confidence in education because they believed it would not change their circumstances or lead to employment or advancement. Those conversations stayed with her. She understood the doubt, but she also knew the possibility existed.
“I really wanted to let people see that if you believe in yourself, you can do whatever you dream of doing,” she said.
As Bilal’s own academic journey expanded, through scholarships, international study, and global conferences, she began sharing her experiences online. She posted videos explaining how scholarships worked, what conferences were like, and how students could prepare applications. The response was immediate. Young people across Mauritania began reaching out, asking for help, guidance, and reassurance.
Strengthening Leadership Through the Aspire Experience
In 2023, Bilal discovered Aspire Institute through Facebook. At that point in her journey, she already had lived experience, initiative, and impact, but she was seeking something more structured.
“I was looking for structured leadership knowledge. I have passion and lived experience, but I wanted clarity, strategy, and a deeper understanding of leadership,” she expressed.
She saw Aspire as an opportunity not just for personal growth, but for multiplying her community impact. Through the program, her understanding of leadership evolved significantly. She began to see leadership not as a title or personality trait, but as a set of practices and behaviors that could be cultivated intentionally.
“I was always told that leaders are born, and [thought] I cannot be a leader, but through Aspire, I discovered that leadership can be developed. You don’t need formal authority to create change,” she mentioned.
Bilal recognized in herself the leadership seed by teaching children in her neighborhood, mentoring peers, and sharing opportunities without holding any formal position. The Aspire Leaders Program gave her language, frameworks, and confidence to scale what she had already begun. The program strengthened her belief that leadership is accessible to those willing to grow into it.
From Grassroots Initiative to Award-Winning Education Platform
From that strengthened conviction, Scholar Force began to take clearer shape. Initially launched as a simple Facebook page sharing scholarship information, the initiative quickly gained traction as more students reached out for personalized help.
After returning from Indonesia and completing Aspire, Bilal decided to formalize the platform.
“I decided to make ScholarForce, and I was making videos and posting about ScholarForce, and people started recognizing it,” she remembered.
Scholar Force evolved into a structured educational support platform offering scholarship application preparation, academic and career guidance, interview coaching, and capacity-building workshops. A key pillar became preparation for international standardized exams such as IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Duolingo English Test, PTE Academic, SAT, ACT, GMAT, and MCAT, which are critical gateways to access to global education.
As demand increased, Bilal sought mentorship and sustainability support. She applied to the Kosmos Innovation Challenge, initially hoping to gain training and guidance to refine her model. After four months of intensive preparation, Scholar Force was awarded third place out of more than 400 competing projects, placing among the top finalists and receiving funding to expand.
The recognition validated both the need and the impact of Scholar Force. Media coverage and public visibility brought increased trust and engagement. More students began reaching out. More families began to see international education as achievable.
Today, Scholar Force is building toward a long-term vision of becoming a leading regional and international institution for youth empowerment, an integrated ecosystem that combines academic preparation, mentorship, global opportunity access, and strategic partnerships with universities worldwide.
Future Vision and Advice to Emerging Leaders
Bilal’s future vision centers on the scale and sustainability of ScholarForce. She aims to expand Scholar Force regionally, reaching underserved communities across Mauritania and beyond, and to create a structured ecosystem that supports youth from ambition to achievement.
“I see myself in the future building scalable education and leadership programs across underserved communities, expanding Scholar Force regionally, and creating a sustainable ecosystem for youth,” she highlighted.
For Bilal, leadership ultimately means giving back, using access, knowledge, and opportunity to lift others forward. She encourages emerging leaders to own their journey and direction in their community.
“You might not have control of your start point, but you should be fully responsible for your direction. You don’t need to be born as a leader. You can be a leader through practice and personal growth.”
