Equity Wings to Fly, Elimu scholarships beneficiaries urged to be change agents
Wings to Fly and Elimu beneficiaries follow proceedings during the 12th annual regional education and leadership congress sponsored by Equity Bank at Nakuru Boys High school on April 11, 2022.
More than 1,000 beneficiaries of Wings to Fly and Elimu scholarships in Nakuru region have been urged to focus on academic excellence and be change agents.
Addressing the beneficiaries during the annual leadership congress at Nakuru Boys High School on Monday, Equity Group Director in charge of digitisation and automation, Elizabeth Gathai told the beneficiaries who are in Form Two, Three and Four that there is no shortcut to success.
In the 2022/2023 financial year, Equity Group will sponsor 2,000 Wings to Fly beneficiaries who sat the 2021 KCPE at a cost of Sh2 billion for their entire secondary school education.
"I urge you to work hard, stay focused if you hope to succeed in life. Equity Bank is committed to making a difference in your lives despite the hardships you have faced and you can only pay this by working hard in school to justify the scholarships that you're enjoying," said Ms Gathai.
"The lessons you have learnt during this congress should be put into action," said Ms Gathai.
Future leaders
She called upon the beneficiaries drawn from Nakuru, Samburu, Narok and Baringo counties to tap into the knowledge and values that their parents, guardians and teachers continue to impart to them.
"We're all looking at you as our future leaders and it is paramount for you to make good use of your time in school to study hard," she said.
These students are part of the 21,777 beneficiaries who are enjoying free secondary school education courtesy of Equity Bank and the national government through Elimu scholarships.
Equity Group Foundation Wings to Fly Education and Leadership Congresses have been held consistently for the past 12 years except during the pandemic period which disrupted learning activities for nine months.
This year's theme is: 'Self-drive: The key to lifetime transformation,' and comes at a time when the education sector is returning to normal as school cycles and the economy bounce back after two years of devastation by the pandemic.
Mentorship programmes
During the congress, the learners were taken through mentorship programmes by top corporate captains, academia, government officials, religious leaders, and teachers.
During the interactive sessions, the learners were challenged to be innovative in driving change within their homes, schools and communities.
"The theme has been specifically tailored to support students to unlock their potential and embrace valuable life skills such as flexibility and resilience which enhance their problem-solving capacity," said Ms Gathai.
The host venue Nakuru Boys High School will benefit from the Nakuru region congress as the scholarship's beneficiaries will plant 1,200 trees as part of Equity Bank's 35 million tree planting initiative which is aimed at supporting the government to increase the country's forest cover. Equity Group has planted over 12 million trees countrywide.
