Equity’s Wings to Fly Scholarship Program selection process ongoing countrywide

Equity’s Wings to Fly Scholarship Program selection process is ongoing across the country, with bright children from financially challenged backgrounds who sat the 2022 KCPE exams and who attained 350 and above having an opportunity to be selected to join the coveted program.

Thousands of primary school leavers from all over the country appeared before the Community Scholarship Selection Boards (CSSBs) accompanied by their parents or guardians. The CSSBs consist of key personalities from the communities, and each is chaired by the Sub-County Director of Education. The Boards are coordinated by Equity Branch Managers.

The Scholarship Selection Boards across the country then moved to the next phase of conducting home verification visits to ascertain that the information scholars shared.

Dagoretti North MP Hon. Beatrice Elachi who paid a courtesy call to the Westlands CSSB lauded the Wings to Fly Scholarship selection process as transparent. She said the Wings to Fly scholarship has demonstrated tangible results in positively changing communities by empowering children through education. “I have noted that the process is open and involves public participation. During interviews, the selection board listens to each story, they ask questions and take notes, then consult each other to reach a consensus,” said Hon. Elachi.

The MP noted that despite coming from humble backgrounds, children can change their communities when given the opportunity.“Having grown up in Kangemi and as a beneficiary of scholarships myself, I know scholarships transform the lives of needy children. I appreciate Equity because through Wings to Fly scholars, Equity is making an impact not just in the country but across the world,” she said.

Meanwhile, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) who is the Minister for Education and Technical Training in West Pokot County Rebeca Kide termed Wings to Fly a noble initiative which has responded to the needs of the community. She was speaking at Kapenguria where she visited the CSSB to experience the Wings to Fly selection process and speak to the students, their parents and their guardians. “I thank Equity Bank for this noble initiative of supporting our children to get an education and pursue their dreams so they can be productive citizens. In West Pokot, we know that in Equity we have a bank that cares and understands our challenges.”

Speaking to the candidates, parents and guardians before the commencement of the interviews, Busia County Director for Education William Makori who chairs the Busia CSSB said, “Do not be persuaded by anyone purporting to have influence over the selection process. The process is free and fair and you should not pay anyone claiming to influence the outcome.”

The Wings to Fly program is a partnership between Equity Group Foundation and Equity Bank with additional financial support from other partners notably KfW, Mastercard Foundation, USAID, UKAid, private institutions as well as individuals. Since 2010, the program has grown to offer a total of 20,009 scholarships.With a 97% secondary school completion rate and 82% qualification for transition to university rate, the Wings to Fly Program has been very successful and transformational.