TORORO-Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda Chapter has partnered with the MasterCard Foundation to offer a national scholarship program that will see academically promising students from economically disadvantaged families get access to higher education.
During the scholarships award ceremony held at Busitema University
Main Campus on Friday, August 2, FAWE Uganda’s Executive Director, Susan Opok Tumusiime said the program will enable a total of 184 students complete their higher education.
She added that under the program, the benefiting students will also be provided with work skills, leadership development, social and emotional competencies and experience in community service.
“It’s our desire that the selected beneficiaries emerge as the face of a changing Uganda, a new generation of mentors, policy makers, entrepreneurs, civil servants who will combine their intellectual acumen with humility to build the country’s future,’’ Ms Tumusiime noted.
She said enabling young students in the country to access higher education will enhance their personal and economic capacity to become active citizens of change in their respective communities.
According to the Executive Director, the beneficiaries were selected after undergoing thorough screening involving stakeholders at the community and national level.
She disclosed that after reviewing 700 applicants through numerous stages of screening, 184 students from 22 districts have received support for 2019/2020.
Most of the beneficiaries scored top grades in science subjects and they have been admitted in five institutions of higher learning including; Mbarara University of Science and Technology (19),
Gulu University (44), Busitema University (72), Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery (19) and Jinja Medical Laboratory School (30) respectively.
During the ceremony, most of the students burst into tears of joy after getting the opportunity of joining their preferred higher institutions of learning at zero cost.
Busitema University’s Academic Registrar Lillian Gimuguni appealed to the beneficiaries to utilise the opportunity offered to them to transform their lives.
“Some of you had lost hope to join higher education now that you have been offered support, please use it by ensuring that you regularly attend classes, do all course works and you will live a bright future,’’ she appealed.
She encouraged them to join the Scripture Union to guide them spiritually.
She cautioned them to avoid being tempted at the university since they are joining the real adult life where there is less supervision and abundant freedom.
