Imbuto Foundation has entered a five-year partnership with Mount Kenya University with an aim of providing education opportunities to brilliant but economically disadvantaged Rwandan students in secondary schools.

The agreement was signed on Monday by the foundation’s director-general Sandrine Umutoni and the varsity’s chairman and founder Prof. Simon Gicharu, according to a statement.

Through this partnership, Mount Kenya University contributed $150,000, which will be disbursed in five annual installments of $30,000, to support the education of 100 vulnerable students in secondary school through the Imbuto Foundation’s Edified Generation scholarships programme.

In addition, the varsity will provide scholarships to brilliant girls – also beneficiaries of Imbuto Foundation scholars programme – every year for the next five years. In an effort to promote East African integration, three of those scholarships will be used at Mount Kenya University-Kigali campus, while the remaining two will be attained at the main campus in Nairobi.

Mount Kenya University is a chartered private university operating in the East African region, and a member of Inter-University Council of East Africa, African Association of Universities and Association of Commonwealth Universities.

The signing ceremony, in Kigali, was witnessed by, among others, the Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs in Kicukiro District, Emmanuel Bayingana; the Vice-Chancellor Designate, Prof Evans Kerosi; and Dr John Nyiligira, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Administration, Planning and Institutional Advancement at the university, among other officials.

About Edified Generation scholarship programme

The Edified Generation scholarships programme was initiated in 2003 with an objective to financially support secondary school students from economically vulnerable backgrounds in their pursuit of education.

Beneficiaries of this programme receive assistance of up to $300 per year, to help pay for their living costs, health insurance and their school supplies.

Each year, through a holiday camp, the scholars are equipped with health and socioeconomic knowledge to prepare them for their professional and personal well-being.

Since its establishment in 2003, over 8,000 students have benefitted from the programme of which 4,379 are girls while 3,687 are boys.

Nine holiday camps have been organised through the programme.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw