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Equity
Group Foundation Chairman Dr James Mwangi hands MaryAnne Chege her air ticket
to study at Harvard University in the US on sponsorship. MaryAnne was among 40
Equity African Leaders Programme (EALP) scholars admitted to world renowned
universities abroad including University of Arizona, Yale, University of
Toronto, McGill, Stanford and Amherst’
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A total of forty (40)
academically gifted Kenyans enrolled in the Equity Group Foundation
administered Equity African Leaders Program (EALP) have landed much coveted
scholarships to some of the world’s most prestigious universities this year.
The 40 scholars, who sat for
their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations last year,
in various local Secondary schools have received their admission to undertake
their undergraduate studies in the best global universities.
The admission of 40 Kenyan
students at one ago is an outright record break for the EALP programme and will
effectively push the total number of students undertaking such studies abroad
under this program to 190 scholars.
Speaking when he confirmed the
admissions, Equity Group Foundation’s (EGF) Chairman, Dr. James Mwangi, said
the EALP Programme is one of the Bank’s Social investment programmes geared at
bridging the academic gap for local and international students. The EALP,
programme, he explained has been designed to provide access to world class
academic opportunities for the best Girl and Boy in KCSE from each County;
where Equity Bank operates.
First rolled out in 1998, the EALP,
he added, is a rigorous internship-based leadership
development program which aims to create a community of talented leaders who
are capable of solving the world’s most pressing challenges.
This
year, the leading Universities that have offered scholarships include the
University of Arizona, Yale University, University of Toronto, Harvard
University, McGill University, Stanford University, Amherst College, Bowdoin
College, Brown University, the University of Cambridge, Columbia University,
Cornell University, Duke University, London School of Economics, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Middlebury College, Princeton University, Seoul
National University, Smith College, Swarthmore College, University of California
Berkley, University of Cape Town, University of Manchester, University of
Pennsylvania, University of Pretoria, Williams College, Karolinska Institute in
Sweden, Ashesi University in Ghana and EARTH
University in Costa Rica. The total value
of the scholarships is over USD 8 million.
“We are proud to witness another
group of students being airlifted to leading world universities after a year’s
mentorship among other gifted scholars admitted to this year’s EALP,” he noted.
“The dividend that we are waiting
for is nothing else other than your success. And your success is our greatest
pride,” he added.
EALP provides benefiting scholars
with paid internship opportunities and a college savings scheme to help finance
their studies. The program trains scholars through programming activities aimed
at developing each scholar in three thematic areas: Academic Vitality,
Professional Development, and Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
The objective is to develop a
generation of servant leaders who will think globally; be inspired to fight
poverty in the African continent; embrace sustainable development; improve
living standards and coexist peacefully as a people while being fully committed
to giving back to society.
To date, EALP has benefited more
than 1965 scholars who have studied or are studying in both local and foreign
universities. The scholar’s intern at Equity Bank branches before joining their
respective universities and also during universities’ holidays. The Wings To Fly scholars from the inaugural
class of the year 2010 were among the 410 top 2013 KCSE performers in their
sub-counties that joined EALP earlier this year.
The program also positions the
beneficiaries as mentors and role models to Wings
To Fly Scholars and secondary school students where they have had
significant impact in guiding students in forums organized by the schools and by
education field officers any time they have been invited to such forums. A
number have also participated as residential mentors in 3 secondary schools where
their hands on daily tutoring has helped the schools register
gains in overall KCSE performance. The EALP scholars are also enrolled
into the Equity Innovators Club where they are mentored and encouraged to come
up with innovative ideas that can offer solutions to some of the problems
facing society in Kenya, Africa and the world.
More than 50 EALP scholars
participating in the 2014 Global Scholars Internship Program (GSIP) returned to
Kenya from universities abroad during their summer holidays to undertake internships
at Equity Bank and its subsidiaries. They also mentor those in the program that
are currently preparing to apply to colleges and universities abroad.
EGF Managing Director Dr Helen
Gichohi paid tribute to the EALP mentorship team for grooming the 2014 scholars
and guiding them in the preparation of essays and standardized tests, as well
as preparing them for life away from home. She urged the scholars to approach
their academic life with the end in mind and also to adopt a global mindset.
“This is the beginning of a life-changing journey; start with your end in mind
for life…broaden your horizons; keep focused; remain true to yourself; to your
values and the goals you have set for yourself,” she counseled.
“I trust that you will play a
positive role in creating a healthier, more productive and more just future for
Africa while also molding strong ethics and a concern for the greater good. I
am proud to say that you hold the promise of being agents of change in the socio-economic
status of Africa,” she added.
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