At least 156 needy students from Kisii County have benefitted from the Elimu Scholarship Programme which supports vulnerable students to further their secondary education.
Speaking during a ceremony organised for beneficiaries at Equity Bank Kisii Branch in Kisii town, Kisii County Director of Education, Pius Ngoma said the scholarships have assisted many destitute children and added that so far 526 students have benefited from the programme.
“The first time 238 were awarded. The second cohort we had 138 and today we are having 156 beneficiaries,” Ngoma said.
He urged the parents of the students to familiarize themselves with their responsibilities as Equity Bank will only cater for the benefits spelled out in the scholarship.
Further, he told the students to work hard in school and maintain discipline at all times saying they had received cases of indiscipline from past beneficiaries.
“Nobody can succeed in this world without being disciplined. To reciprocate, you must give us a result through good performance,” added Ngoma.
Kisii Central Deputy County Commissioner, Wilberforce Kilonzo lauded Equity Bank for its continued commitment to the allocation of bursaries to needy students across the country.
Kilonzo also congratulated the students for securing the scholarship and urged them to work extra hard and be role models to future beneficiaries.
He pointed out that cases of alcohol and drug abuse were increasingly being reported in schools and asked the students to stay away from such vices.
On his part, Equity Bank Kisii Branch Manager, Robinson Mirieri said the selection committee was satisfied that the beneficiaries are in need and urged them to take advantage of the lifetime opportunity they had been granted.
“For the last two years, we have been concentrating on Marani and Nyamache sub-counties. But this year, the government decided that we should also focus on the other sub-counties,” Mirieri added.
He pointed out that Equity received more than 1000 applications for the scholarships but picked the most deserving cases.
Master Ondara, one of the guardians of the beneficiaries, thanked Equity Bank for selecting his child for the scholarship and urged all the beneficiaries to work hard in their studies.
Hesbon Monyaywa, a beneficiary, expressed his gratitude to Equity Bank and promised to work hard in school so that he can fulfil his dream of becoming an engineer.
“I did not have any hope of getting support for my secondary education, but now I have gotten a chance and I will utilise it well,” said Monyaywa.
The Elimu Scholarship Programme is sponsored by the government of Kenya and World Bank and implemented by the Equity Group Foundation.
