More scholarships for less privileged learners

Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

MORE less privileged children from vulnerable communities across the country are set to benefit from scholarships as the First Mutual Foundation has expanded its scholarship programme, complementing Government efforts in boosting education.

First Mutual Foundation, administered by Bantwana Zimbabwe, has been a beacon of hope for vulnerable children, facilitating their academic journeys from primary school through to tertiary education.

Over the past decade, the foundation has transformed the lives of nearly 1 000 students, providing the necessary resources and support to ensure their academic success.

The scholarship has notably improved attendance, retention and transition rates across all educational levels, with many beneficiaries excelling in competitive fields including, but limited to Actuarial Science, Data Science and Computer Engineering.

First Mutual Foundation’s expansion of its scholarship programme includes five State-owned universities and the expansion will provide three scholarships per university, benefiting a total of 15 additional students each year.

First Mutual Holdings Limited Group chief executive, Mr Douglas Hoto, said they deal with everything that makes a student similar to others who have funding from their families or elsewhere.

“When we think of children, we think of potential, and it is our ideal that potential must be nurtured. Students from a disadvantaged position must get the opportunity to compete on similar terms with others and this also helps the nation to not miss out on the human capital potential of these students.

“Since our inception, we have trained over 1 000 students across primary school, secondary and university. We generally cover tuition, levies, exam fees, uniforms etc, laptops and all that.”

Mr Hoto said as First Mutual, they were running the most successful training programmes for underwriters, actuarial scientists, chartered accountants and chartered financial analysts, among others.

“Indeed, we have found out that most of our graduate trainees have excelled here and elsewhere in the world. I am glad to say when you look at Zimbabwe today and various things happening, it is a clear testimony of an education which is at its best, which is looking at what we can do and what we have.”

Mr Mbonisi Tshuma, the executive director for Bantwana Zimbabwe, said they implement projects directly and sub-grant to other local non-Governmental organisations.

“We support children mainly with education subsidies, health interventions, economic strengthening and child protection services,” he said.

“Our marriage with First Mutual started in 2014 and we wanted to support the reintegration to formal school of children who had dropped out of school due to economic hardships and social ills. Ten years later we are proud to enable over 1 000 children and young people to access education and excel.

“We have supported 10 tertiary students in our local universities. Seven of these students have graduated with distinctions and 6 are yet to complete their degrees.”

The First Mutual Foundation was established to provide educational assistance to vulnerable children from primary to tertiary levels.

The foundation’s scholarship programme aims to support academic dreams and foster personal development and professional readiness among its beneficiaries.