Scholarships are closer to you than you think

There are many untold stories about how a single student scholarship can change one’s whole life. To Daisy Nakitende, that scholarship opened a door of opportunity that she otherwise would not have had access to.

“My family got financially constrained while I was in Primary Six. I struggled through Primary Seven and even had to change schools. But even then, I was always in and out of school for the most part because of defaulting on school fees, but because I was a smart pupil, the head teacher took pity on me and I managed to successfully complete Primary Seven,” Nakitende shares.
After primary, the future looked uncertain. “I did not know where I would get school fees for secondary school,” she says.

Coincidentally, a relative learned about some scholarship opportunities at her church and informed Nakitende. “When I went for the interview, they asked me about my family background and primary school results. A few weeks later, they called to tell me I had secured myself a scholarship and I could join any school of my choice as long as fees was not beyond Shs500,000,” she says.
To make sure she utilised the opportunity well, she chose a good government-aided school that was not very expensive. “I joined Old Kampala Senior Secondary School where I studied both my O and A Levels,” she says.

Luck was still on her way because she was enrolled on a government scholarship for a Bachelor’s in Education at Makerere University after which she practiced in one of the international schools in the country. “After about a year, I got a scholarship at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK where I am currently doing my Masters in Education,” she says noting that there is no way she would have got the opportunities she has had and the shots at life, if she had not got that first scholarship.
But the most common question is, “Where are these opportunities and is it possible to actually get one?”

In Uganda
Makerere University Female Scholarship Foundation (FSF). The goal of this is to increase enrolment, retention and improve academic performance of female undergraduate students at the university. The beneficiaries are female students below 25 years, admitted to the university on private sponsorship, who do not hold any other scholarships, and those from genuinely poor socio economic backgrounds. Priority is given to science-based degree programmes and limited places for programmes in humanities and is limited to tuition and functional fees.

Uganda Christian University offers at least seven sets of student scholarships to talented sports persons, the needy, theology and exceptionally good students, among others. Financial support is given to both post graduate and graduate students through the four major categories of; need based scholarships, merit based scholarships, scholarships to biological children and staff spouses and externally sponsored and administered awards.

Non-governmental organisations
The Madhvani Foundation is among some of the organisations with an annual scholarship award. This year, Shs700m was offered to university students in the field of science and technical studies such as; Agriculture, Chemistry, Biology, Actuarial science, Architecture, Veterinary medicine, Commerce, Hotel Management, Pharmacy, Nursing, Engineering, Food science and technology, Information Technology, environment and medicine.

Action for Fundamental Change and Development (AFFCAD) Bwaise is currently open to applications for startup capital to youths. “The call is open to all youth who have attended our vocational and entrepreneurship training at our vocational institute at AFFCAD.

This means you have to be a former student, staying in Bwaise specifically, vulnerable or exposed to violent situations and you must be a youth,” Sharon Akidi, the organisation’s spokesperson, says. Qualified people will go through a selection process and the awardees given equipment for startup in their vocational or business competencies, rent among others.

International
BRAC University, Bangladesh has more than 215 research grants, fellowships and award opportunities from different organisations such as British Council, Hong Kong Arts Development Council and Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships, among others. Many of these however are for post graduate students, on partial funding, or tuition only funding.

Sites to visit
Opportunities for Africans
Scholarships4 development
Afric scholarships
Afterschool Africa
Opportunity desk
Pro fellow
Youth hub
These always keep you updated about current, different scholarship, research, financial aid and fellowship opportunities in African and around the world.

[email protected]