• 73 scholars under the Equity Leaders Program (ELP) have been admitted to 48 global universities across four continents
• This is the first time scholars from Equity Bank Rwanda are part of the global scholarships
• 20 scholars received admission to Ivy League Universities in the US
• The scholars have been urged to work hard and support the recovery and resilience of Africa

NAIROBI, 31^st August 2022: Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman Dr. James Mwangi has commissioned the airlift of 73 students who will be joining 48 global universities through scholarships under EGF’s Education and Leadership Development pillar.

Notably, 7 of the scholars are part of Equity Bank Rwanda’s inaugural ELP class which was officially launched in November 2021 with the primary goal of expanding Equity Group’s social impact across the region.

The 2022 global airlift cohort will benefit from scholarships valued at Ksh 2.1 billion (USD 16,867,676) for the 4-year duration they will be pursuing their undergraduate studies. Additionally, the scholars will receive an airlift stipend to support their transition preparations. The scholars are on full scholarships and have benefited from a week-long boot camp, where they were coached and mentored on the transition journey as global scholars.

Speaking to the scholars, Dr. Mwangi applauded and urged them to maintain commitment and focus that would see them achieve their goals. “Today marks the beginning of a new journey for all of you. Your hard work and determination has seen you break boundaries to join global institutions of higher learning in pursuit of knowledge. We are extremely proud of you and urge you to remain focused and to keep your eye on the prize. Four years from today, I am sure that each of you will be on course to make great impact in society by applying what you have learnt to solve some of the challenges that face our African continent.”

The scholars will be joining universities in different countries across the globe including the United States of America (USA), Canada, United Kingdom, China, India, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Germany among others.

Elaborating on education as an anchor for socio-economic growth, Dr. Mwangi said, “Equity Group has rolled out a 6-pillar Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan which will champion and accelerate the post COVID-19 recovery of the continent through actively investing in the empowerment of the African people.” He encouraged the scholars to excel in their various fields of study, urging them to consider themselves as leaders who will catalyse the change that they want in order to elevate our region to greater heights.

“This plan is to be implemented by all of us so that we can secure the future of coming generations. Harness all the knowledge that you can and tap into the existing systems and infrastructure to champion socio-economic growth through entrepreneurship, formulation of policies and becoming top public and corporate leaders with influence.” added Dr. Mwangi.

With this year’s admissions, a total of 761 students have so far benefitted from the college counselling program and have successfully received admission to prestigious universities on fully funded scholarships. This intake includes 20 students who will be joining Ivy League Universities including University of Pennsylvania (5), Yale (3), Harvard University (3), Princeton University (2), Dartmouth College (2), Cornel University (2), Brown University (2) and Columbia University (1).

The Equity Leadership Program is an Equity Group Foundation initiative that was established in 1998 to nurture leadership skills in the youth who have demonstrated great promise. The rigorous leadership development program selects top-performing students nationally from the Equity Group banking subsidiaries with the aim of creating a community of transformative leaders who will work together across borders and various sectors to drive sustainable economic growth and social progress in Africa.

EQUITY LEADERS PROGRAM

2022 GLOBAL SCHOLARS’ SUMMARIES

 
DISTRIBUTION BY REGION AND COUNTRY

DISTRIBUTION BY INSTITUTION

IVY LEAGUE INSTITUTIONS

About the Equity Leaders Program

The Equity Leaders Program was founded in 1998 and has scaled up over time to benefit 17,822 scholars. The paid internship component of the Equity Leaders Program admits the top performing boy and girl in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E.) exams from each sub-county in Kenya where Equity Bank has a branch as well as Wings to Fly graduates who score a minimum grade of A-. The program aims at empowering young academically gifted scholars by supporting their access to education in public universities in Kenya and around the globe, as well as equipping them with leadership skills.

The leadership development model seeks to develop scholars in four program areas: personal and professional development; global exposure; creativity & innovation; and community engagement. Scholars in the paid internship program have an opportunity to join the College Counselling Program to receive coaching and mentorship on how to apply to and secure admissions in leading global institutions. For those who study locally, they join ELP University Chapters that provide them an opportunity to continue being in a network and further hone their leadership and personal development. They continue to serve as mentors to their younger ‘siblings’ in the Wings to Fly program in secondary schools.

Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman ( 3rd left) together with the 73 Equity Leaders Program (ELP) scholars who will be joining 48 universities around the globe. The 2022 ELP global airlift cohort will benefit from scholarships valued at Ksh 2.1 billion (USD 16,867,676) for the 4-year duration they will be pursuing their undergraduate studies. With him from left is Florence Kariuki, General Manager Food & Agriculture, Dr. Beth Waweru, Group Director Strategic Human Capital, Dr. Joanne Korir, Associate Director Health, Margaret Muhoro, General Manager Education and Leadership Development and Penny Kimani, Associate Director Finance & Programme Office.

Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman (left) hands over a congratulatory letter to Equity Leaders Program scholar Emily Lokamar (right) who sat for her KCSE at Turkana Girls and will be proceeding to Middlebury College to study Neuroscience.

Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman (left) hands over a congratulatory letter to Equity Leaders Program scholar Benjamin Karanja (right) who sat for his KCSE at Kapsabet Boys High School and will be proceeding to Cornell University to study Computer Science.

About Equity Group Foundation

Equity Group Foundation (EGF), the corporate implementing foundation of Equity Group Holdings Plc, has as its mission to champion the transformation of lives and livelihoods for 100m people in Africa by 2025 through the design and implementation of innovative programs that leverage Equity Group’s infrastructure and partnerships to create shared value. Established in 2008 as the Group’s social engine, the Foundation delivers economic opportunities, capacity, tools, and technologies that enable individuals and businesses to increase productivity, resilience and share in socio-economic growth. EGF responds to the continuum of issues that challenge the socio-economic advancement of the people of Africa, especially low-income individuals, and families. EGF’s Creating Shared Value [CSV] strategy provides social development initiatives in Education and Leadership Development, Food and Agriculture, Health, Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Development, Energy and Environment and Social Protections for the most vulnerable citizens. EGF’s programs are underpinned by technology, innovation, and synergy as a central means to launch, nurture, and scale up Africa’s next generation of successful leaders and entrepreneurs delivered to all communities in which Equity has operations.