Many needy students left out as equity bank awards 12 scholarships

Only 12 out of 600 applicants in Trans Nzoia County have been picked as beneficiaries of the Wings to Fly Scholarship sponsored by Equity Bank.
While flagging off the lucky beneficiaries from needy families in Kitale town on Monday, Equity Bank Kitale Branch Manager Michael Chege said they received more than 600 applications out of which 100 were from extreme poor backgrounds.
He said they settled for 12 following the allocation for the county which was slashed down from 2017 where 25 pupils benefited from the programme.
Mr. Chege asked parents and guardians who had missed out on selection to seek assistance from other organizations including the county government.
“We would like more partners to come on board and assist children from poor backgrounds to proceed with their education,” he said.
Mr. Chege noted that following the assistance from different organizations many children from poor families have been able to get a chance to continue with their education.
He said so far those who have benefited and successfully gone through the scholarship program have been good ambassadors of change to their communities.
The scholarship will go towards fees payment, pocket money, user items and transport for the beneficiaries.
Those who were lucky to get the scholarships will join their counterparts totaling 1000 across the country, for official commissioning at Kenyatta University on 4th January before they join secondary schools.
One of the beneficiaries who has been selected Master Lazarus Juma from Namanjalala primary school said he will use the opportunity to work hard and transform his community.
The 14-year-old who hails from a humble background scored 356 marks in 2018’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (K.C.P.E) promised to utilize the opportunity to excel in K.C.S.E and pursue a course in engineering.
By Moses Wekesa