Thousands Of Students Undergo Equity Bank Sponsored Mentorship Programme
Dr James Mwangi Executive chairman, Equity Group Foundation addressing scholars of Equity Wings To Fly program
By Felix Njenga
Worth Noting:
- “A Form 1 and 2 have more years to make any corrections needed to be done and that is the reason we hold these workshops. we realized that it was not enough to pay school fees for the scholars, you are young, you are children and could easily be distracted by peer pressure and they can easily forget as a child that this program is an opportunity for the scholars to change their cause and to ensure that their past doesn’t continue to influence their future,” he said.
- He added that the program is an opportunity for the scholars to redefine themselves and it takes devotion, commitment and dedication to the ambition and dream of the change they want to see in their lives.
Thousands of Form 1 and 2 beneficiaries of the Equity bank wings to fly and elimu scholarship programs drawn from Nairobi, Central, Eastern, North Eastern and Coast regions have been taken through a mentorship program that is meant to motivate and prepare them for their future success.
In the Annual Education and Leadership Congress, the 15th cohort scholars numbering 3,153 underwent a week long intensive, inspiring and educative forum at the Kenyatta University where they got mentored by role models in society such as successful professionals, government officials, entrepreneurs and community leaders under the theme; ‘Educate, Empower, Lead: The Trial to Success’.
The program has remarkably expanded to oversee 60,009 scholarships for the academically gifted but economically disadvantaged students giving them a shot of rewriting their destiny.
The Chief Guest at the congress Dr. James Mwangi, the Executive chairman, Equity Group Foundation (EGF) said that due to the increased number of scholars the EGF is grateful to have found partners to walk with them such as KFW from the German cooperation without looking back as they are united by a common purpose to change lives and empowering people to change their lives through education.
“It is for this reason that it is fulfilling and gratifying to see people’s lives change,’ Mwangi said.
He said that the journey is fulfilling since they have inspired and encouraged the students so that if there are any amendments or corrections in the way they do things they may have time to do so.
“A Form 1 and 2 have more years to make any corrections needed to be done and that is the reason we hold these workshops. we realized that it was not enough to pay school fees for the scholars, you are young, you are children and could easily be distracted by peer pressure and they can easily forget as a child that this program is an opportunity for the scholars to change their cause and to ensure that their past doesn’t continue to influence their future,” he said.
He added that the program is an opportunity for the scholars to redefine themselves and it takes devotion, commitment and dedication to the ambition and dream of the change they want to see in their lives.
“You have been given a path out of your circumstances and there is no better gift that would have never been given that could change the cause and your destiny. This congress is to help you keep focused on the dreams you had where you were applying for this program,” he said.
He encouraged the scholars to be the agents of transforming their families.
“Each of you belong to individual families, and that is why we are interested in you as an individual because we want to make a difference in each and every family and village that you come from,” he said.
He called on the scholars to embrace humility so that they can be well grounded, empathetic so that they can also help others as they have been assisted,
He said education goes beyond textbooks and classrooms, describing it as a journey that opens doors, broadens horizons and empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of the world confidently.
“Education allows us to acquire the capability to lead others and it helps us to unlock our potential but it needs to be enhanced with values so that our character formation and our personality matches our capabilities,” he said.
In a speech read on behalf of Belio Kipsang Principal Secretary Education by Gichuhi Ndegwa, director of education, said that as a ministry they have developed guidance and counselling and mentorship policies which aid the teachers to guide the learners to make informed life choices.
The curriculum contains a component on life skills and value based education which are mainstreamed in all the subjects. This has enhanced knowledge on responsibility, integrity and problem solving which are key to the development of learners and not just focus on academic performance.
James Kungu, the Kenyatta University Deputy Vice Chancellor said that the Wings To Fly program has helped many who were economically disadvantaged to achieve an opportunity to be what they want to be in life.
He called on the scholars to make Kenyatta University their first choice while selecting the university of choice since it offers almost all courses they would think of pursuing once they clear with form four.
He said that the university is looking forward to strengthening their collaboration with equity bank and other partners in the noble assignment of moulding and curving the future of the scholars.
Several other speakers offered mentorship to the scholars, the scholars who have completed high school education also gave their education journey and where they are positioned currently.
Scholars completing four years of secondary education can seamlessly transition into the Equity Leaders Program (ELP), empowering them with access to local and global universities while nurturing leadership skills.
ELP has facilitated university entry for 18,735 scholars, with 8,337 benefiting from paid internships at Equity Bank. Notably, 891 ELP scholars secured fully-funded scholarships at 209 global universities across 56 countries, including Ivy League institutions like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Cornell.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER August 11, 2026
- Mobius: The Kenyan car that refused to die
- Heroes Day: A nation remembers, but our hearts are heavy
- Why Kenya keeps waiting for disaster before preparing for it
- Are we pricing students out of education?
About the Author
