Students, Etombi foundation, school officials and others pose for a family picture after receiving scholarship
By Njodzeka Danhatu
Etombi Foundation, a charitable organization, has awarded scholarships to 200 students in 22 schools across the Southwest Region and beyond.
The financial scholarship given to these students took care of their tuition and registration fee for GCE exams.
The envelopes that contain cash were handed to some of these students in some schools in Buea and Limbe on Tuesday, February 13 meanwhile the gesture continued to others in Littoral and Northwest Regions.
A student at GHS Great Soppo fills the paper to collect cash
The beneficiaries are comprised of underprivileged secondary and university students. Some who are now at the university have been benefiting since 2020, when the Etombi Foundation launched the scholarship scheme.
According to the Country Representative of the Foundation, Lois Ikome Ebenye, the Etombi Foundation has the goal of supporting the academic pursuit of underprivileged students.
“We do that by awarding scholarships to them that pay for the registration of their official exam and cover their PTA levies and other school tuition,” she said.
According to her, there are many students who want to study but do not have the means, so the Etombi Foundation sources funding to assist these children.
To benefit from the scheme, the foundation sends out forms at the beginning of every academic year for students to fill out. After that, the foundation collects and selects those that have met the criteria. The selection of these underprivileged people weighs more on their performances in school.
During the Tuesday donation, the foundation moved from one school to another, ensuring that the students signed out the cash with the acknowledgement of the school authorities and the Ministry of Social Affairs. Any student that received the money, the foundation, and the school made sure he or she complied immediately with the school requirements that the money was meant for.
“We are very grateful we can help these students, and we are very thankful to our donors who believe in us and are enabling us to carry out this activity,” Lois Ikome said.
Students at Lycee Molyko brandish their scholarships in a group photo
The beneficiary students, after receiving the money, expressed gratitude to the foundation while praying to God to replenish the source.
“I am privileged to benefit from the Etombi Foundation. I am thankful to the foundation and the donors all over the globe,” said Kenah Kingsley Wung, a first-year student of microbiology at the University of Buea who has been benefiting since he was in high school.
“It has helped me a lot. The money will be of great importance to me regarding my school because I will use it to buy handouts and other things that will help me study well at the university. Actually, many of us are undergoing some financial difficulties at the university level. Some of us are internally displaced people. So it will help us a lot with our financial demands,” Kenah Kingley said.
Another beneficiary who was overwhelmed with joy is Nseme Clectus, a Form 2 student at Government High School Great Soppo. Nseme had not paid fees and was driven from school because of that. The Etombi Foundation solved his problem, as the money he received immediately took care of his financial obligations at that school.
“I am very happy and grateful to the Etombi Foundation for helping me pay my school fees and other things,” Nseme Cletus said.
Foundation Representative sit in white, hands over an envelope of money to a student at GHS Bokwaongo
At the end of the year, the foundation collects their examination results and evaluates how they performed. So far, since 2020, the Etombi Foundation has said the feedback from these scholarships has been wonderful and encouraging.
“It is very positive. We have interviewed the different awardees, and the scholarship has had a huge impact on them. Some who have received it three times are now at the university. It is leaving a positive impact on the lives of the students,” said the country representative.
