Approximately 122 needy students from Kibera slums have been sponsored to Secondary School through the Equity Bank’s Elimu Scholarship and Wings To Fly.
Equity Bank Kibera Branch Manager Martin Mungai says that the 122 students were selected through a committee comprising of chiefs, head teachers and religious leaders.
“Getting the 122 beneficiaries was not easy but I want to thank the committee that helped in selection, the head teachers and religious leaders and the government administrators for being impartial during the process,”Mungai added.
Mungai admitted that the process of selection was an uphill task since some of the parents and guardians of the applicants did not give their genuine details.
He however congratulated the community scholarship advisory board for their impartiality that ensured that no deserving applicant is was left out.
Rael Ambani, a beneficiary of the Elimu scholarship program could not hide her joy, during the flag off ceremony.
According to Ambani the scholarship was timely since she had been and was unable to raise school fees for her daughter who was called to join Shikoti Girls High school.
“I thank the Equity Bank for the scholarship, my daughter had passed her exams, unfortunately I have had been sick so getting school fee has not been easy…I really thank God for the scholarship awarded to my daughter who wants to study neuroscience after form four.” Ambani said.
According to Mungai, the bank through its philanthropic arm Elimu Scholarship Program and Wings To Fly, scholarships to 9,000 and 1,000 learners respectively this year.
“This year we have managed to enrolled 9,000 learners on Elimu scholarship program and another 1,000 on the Wings to Fly, I want to thank everyone who participated in the identification of these academically gifted students.”
The Elimu scholarship program rollout in Kibera and Langata comes two weeks after most of 2021 KCPE candidates joined various secondary schools in the country painting a picture of the vulnerability level in informal settlements in urban areas.
