The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | From a small school in Nansana, Uganda, to the gates of Harvard University, engineering student Garvin Alimu says his journey under the Equity Leaders Program (ELP) has been marked by “risks, sacrifices, and challenges that at times felt insurmountable.”
Alimu, 20, is among 128 young people from Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo who have secured admission and scholarships to 62 universities in 19 countries under the programme run by Equity Group Foundation. The awards are worth a combined Ksh 2.79 billion ($21.6 million) over four years.
“I sat for the SAT four times,” Alimu said. “Equity staff prepared me for months – teaching me how to write essays, present myself before a panel. This opportunity is not just for me, it’s for the collective good of our communities, to inspire others and pave the way for future generations.”
The 2023 King’s College Budo graduate, who scored 20 points in Uganda’s national exams, will join 15 other students heading to Ivy League schools, including Harvard, Princeton, Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania.
For Claire Nsaba from Kisoro District, Uganda, the path to New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus to study environmental engineering was one of resilience.
“The journey hasn’t been easy,” said the Maryhill High School alumna, who also scored 20 points in last year’s exams. “Facing rejections from some universities was disheartening. But I learned that rejection doesn’t mean you’re not good enough; it can redirect you to something better. Applying to NYU was my last attempt, and it worked.”
Of the 128 awardees, 87 are from Kenya, 33 from Rwanda, and four each from Uganda and the DRC. Each will receive up to Ksh 200,000 to support their relocation, in addition to the full scholarships.
Since its inception in 1998, the ELP has placed 1,098 students in prestigious institutions worldwide, with alumni returning to work in government, business and civil society across Africa. In Uganda, where the programme launched in 2022, 419 scholars have been admitted, 13 of whom are currently studying in the United States, Russia, Germany and Mauritius.
“The Equity Leaders Program is an investment in Africa’s future innovators,” said Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman James Mwangi, who commissioned the latest group’s departure. “Your unique perspectives and skills are vital to unlocking Africa’s vast potential.”
