26 Bright Students From Thika, Gatundu And Gatanga Get ‘Wings To Fly’.

26 Wings To Fly Beneficiaries from Thika Region being flagged off by Kiambu CEC for Education, ICT, Culture and Social Services Ms. Esther Wanjiru Ndirangu to attend the national fete at Kasarani Stadium.

A total of 26 students from the larger Thika Region have benefited from the 2017 Equity Bank’s Wings To Fly’ Scholarship that targets bright students from poor backgrounds who could have otherwise not have proceeded with their secondary education.

This was revealed when by the chairperson of the Thika Community Scholarship Selection Board Mr. Peter Maina at the Kenyatta Highway Branch of Equity Bank during the flagging off of the lucky beneficiaries. The students, 13 from each gender, had beaten off stiff competition from 234 applications.

“It was quite a daunting task to come up with this group from 234 qualified applicants. I just have to congratulate you for making it in the list but at the same time remind you that you should not take this for granted. There is a very big number of other qualified students out there who need such an opportunity,” said Maina.

Maina appealed to other organisations, both individuals and corporates, the County Government of Kiambu and the Thika Town Constituency CDF to absorb the rest of the needy students who were not lucky to make into the list.

Equity Business Growth & Development Manager Sammy Karanu advised the beneficiaries to take advantage of the rare opportunity to play a critical role in transforming the lives of the society around them.

“The Wings To Fly programme will support you to access secondary school education and ultimately to change their destiny and that of your families forever. In addition to a focus on academic excellence and achievement, the programme places an emphasis on skills development and networks to help students succeed in secondary school and beyond,” said Karanu.

He also appealed to the parents not to abdicate their roles as the Equity Bank programme’s responsibility was only financial.

Among the beneficiaries was 18 year old Anne Ntilale from Siana near Maasai Mara in Narok County who scored 368 and selected to join Moi Girls High School Nairobi. Ntilale was a pupil in Thika School for The Blind and has undergone so many challenges to reach there.

“I am happy to have been selected and promise to work extra hard to achieve my dream of being a lawyer. I want to be independent and able to help others. I want to advocate for the rights of the oppressed in our community especially girls living with disabilities,” said Ntilale.

15 year old Catherine Nyawira from Joytown School for the Physically Challenged was another of the beneficiaries. She scored 382 marks in the just concluded KCPE exams.