• The 92 will benefit from undergraduate scholarships valued at a total of USD 18,856,327 (slightly over Kshs 2 billion).

Nairobi, 31^st August 2020…92 scholars from the Equity Leadership Program (ELP) comprising of Wings to Fly alumni beneficiaries as well as those who topped the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination in their respective sub counties have received admission to 43 global universities. The forty- three (43) institutions are across five continents in different countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Turkey, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Mauritius, Rwanda and South Africa.

With this year’s admission the largest single year cohort, the total number of scholars who have so far gained admission to global universities under the Equity Leaders Program is 633.

The global scholars will benefit from undergraduate scholarships valued at over USD 18M (slightly over Kshs 2 billion) and receive a stipend of Kshs.16 million to facilitate their preparation and travel to their host countries.

Commenting on the admissions when releasing the Kshs.16 million for air tickets, Equity Group Foundation (EGF) Executive Chairman, Dr. James Mwangi noted that despite the prevailing global pandemic, EGF through its Education and Leadership Development pillar has been able to coach and mentor bright, promising youth, to deliver the highest single year admissions and scholarship for airlift in search for higher education.

“We are proud of our ELP scholars for the hard work that they have put into this. Their dedication, consistency and perseverance has seen them gain admission into some of the best institutions of higher learning in the world including the Ivy League Universities.”

Of the 92, 19 scholars have been admitted to Ivy League Universities in the United States including Yale (2), Harvard (4), University of Pennsylvania (3), Princeton (3), Cornell (1), Dartmouth (2), Columbia (2) and Brown (2). “We have equipped our ELP scholars with the knowledge and skills to navigate new cultures and to thrive in any environment they are placed in. We challenge them to go and conquer the world by excelling in their academics and taking up key leadership roles and contributing to changing narratives about Africa as well as transforming of lives,” added Dr. Mwangi.

ELP provides a paid internship to top performing secondary school scholars including Wings to Fly alumni beneficiaries. The program aims to educate and provide mentorship and exposure to Kenyan youth, create a generation of value-based leaders, who bring about positive change in the community by driving sustainable economic growth and social progress in Kenya and globally.

Maxwell Ojiambo, a Wings to Fly alumnus and an ELP scholar who is set to join Stanford University to pursue Electrical Engineering said, “My experience in Wings to Fly and ELP has taught me that tough times don’t last forever. Equity took a chance on me and they turned me into a promising young man with big dreams and a great vision for the future. I am truly grateful for the experience.”

Another ELP scholar, Joanne Nekoye who is set to pursue Computer Science at Brown University said, “I am excited to start a new chapter in my life. I joined ELP as a top KCSE performer and the experience has been unique. My application process to Brown was seamless and I also learnt a lot about leadership, responsibility and giving back through my internship at Equity. I hope to come back home to share my skills and newfound knowledge. I sincerely appreciate Equity and its partners for believing in me and other young people in our country.”

Since inception in 1998, ELP has supported 6,713 paid internships by Equity Bank at a cost of approximately Kshs.3 billion. Of these, 633 have been coached and mentored to secure admission and scholarship to enable their transition to to global universities while the majority study locally in leading universities. 33% of the ELP interns are continuing scholars, while 67% have graduated from various institutions and continued to become productive members in community building. The first ELP scholar, Samuel Kirubi, has since scaled up in his professional career to become the Managing Director of Equity Bank Uganda.

ELP global scholars do return to Kenya during their summer holidays to team up with their colleagues in local universities and spend their time mentoring the incoming ELP scholars on how to apply for college admissions, as well as preparing them for life in universities locally or abroad.

EQUITY LEADERS PROGRAM GLOBAL SCHOLARS SUMMARIES

DISTRIBUTION BY COUNTRY

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 2024 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.

About the Equity Leaders Program

The Equity Leaders Program was founded in 1998 and has scaled up over time to benefit 16,919 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 paid internship runs for the 6-10 months between secondary school completion and the beginning of university. 6,713 scholars have benefitted from internships at Equity Bank prior to joining local or global universities. Of these, 633 scholars have secured admissions and scholarships in top global universities. The leadership development model seeks to develop scholars in four program areas.

1. Personal and Professional Development to enable scholars to identify their unique talents and strengths and to match their individual interests with meaningful career
2. Global exposure to encourage scholars to expand their horizons and become world class-leaders who can compete and succeed in a global
3. Creativity and Innovation to empower scholars to think creatively about providing solutions to the challenges and opportunities facing communities around the world.
4. Community Engagement to inspire scholars to use their abilities for good and to make a positive impact on

While developing individual scholars in these thematic areas, the program also endeavors to create a strong network of scholars working together across disciplines and sectors to transform their communities, their country, and the world at large. This leadership development model is delivered through the following initiatives:

• The Internship Program which allows scholars at local universities to return for internships with Equity Group and its partners during university holidays to get professional experience while saving for their university education. The program runs for the 6-10 months between secondary school completion and the beginning of
• The Global Summer Internship Program which allows scholars studying at international universities to return to Africa for their summer holidays and intern with Equity Group and its partners, giving them work experience and building their professional networks on the
• The College Counseling Program which supports Equity scholars to access admission and scholarships to some of the world’s leading universities, including the Ivy League universities in the
• The Annual Leadership Congress which allows scholars to connect with each other to form a strong community, learn about leadership and employability skills, and interact with successful leaders from various industries
• The Innovators Program which trains and develops scholars in innovation and entrepreneurship skills, allowing them to write business plans and pitch their ideas for seed
• The Centers of Excellence Program where scholars provide residential mentorship to various secondary schools
• The University Chapters at campuses in Kenya and abroad that serve as platforms for interaction, networking, and activities for the scholars during their university
• The Wings to Fly Mentorship Program which enables scholars to visit Wings to Fly high school scholarship recipients at their respective high schools to provide mentorship and academic coaching.

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