A total of 198 needy pupils from Migori County are set to benefit from the Wings to Fly and Elimu scholarship programme during the year 2021. Migori County Governor Zachary Okoth Obado flagged off the programme yesterday at Migori Boys High School in Migori town giving hope to many parents now weighed down by poverty in the region. The Wings to Fly Scholarship Programme is held annually by the Equity Bank across the country. This year the Wings to Fly Scholarship welcomed a partnership with the Elimu scholarship programme, an initiative of the National Government and World Bank.
Uriri Sub-County recorded the highest number of students’ selection with a total of 82 benefiting from this year’s scholarship programme. Uriri Sub County is considered as a hardship area where most families are still poor .Governor Obado lauded the initiative and challenged the student who benefited from the scholarships to work hard and bring joy back to their struggling families through good performance at school. “Remember the difficulties you passed through while going to school in order to pass your exams” Obado told the beneficiaries who were accompanied by their parents.
The governor also announced that the county scholarship programme that is being offered by his office would also benefit 200 needy but bright students. The programme which started in 2015 will this year alone sponsor 61girs and 139 boys. The Governor however, lamented that poor performances recorded by girl-child has led to their low intake. Obado also emphasized that in future the county scholarship programme will incorporate the disabled children so that no child is left behind. The Governor urged the students to make good use of the opportunities that they have been given by the Equity bank and the government and heed the advice that they were given by various stakeholders
Presiding on behalf of the Equity Group Managing Director was the Equity Bank manager Migori Branch Mr. Duncan Sino who appreciated the selection and vetting board for handling a transparent selection process which saw the truly needy students benefiting from the scholarship. In his remarks, Migori County Executive Member for Education Mr. Samson Maginga applauded the scholarship programme for investing in education and allowing the needy but bright students to further their studies. Maginga said that the scholarship programme will enable the students to fly higher in the field of education.
Migori County Commissioner Mr. Meru Mwangi thanked the organizers of the Wings to Fly Scholarship Programme, specifically the Equity Bank through their Migori Branch Manager Mr. Duncan Sino for putting a smile to the needy students. He urged the scholars in education sector to identify students talents and nature them to help themselves and others. “It is our duty to ensure that these students accomplish their education. We want them to come back after completing their studies and create a conducive environment and use what they have acquired to help themselves and others in society”, said Mr. Mwangi.