Bridget Khunga is a recipient of the Orant Ulemu Scholarship, a university scholarship for high achieving students in rural Malawi.
Orant Ulemu Scholarship
Without financial freedom, many Malawian students stay stuck in a cycle of poverty. Despite their potential, they can’t afford to continue their studies at university. As a result, their dreams fade into distant memories.
For the past four years, Orant has rarely been able to financially support students past secondary school. Students could perform amazingly on their exit exams. They could get selected for universities. Yet if they couldn’t find funding, they couldn’t pursue a degree. Without other options, they would be at risk for early marriage and a life of poverty.
Now, we are excited to support students pursuing higher education. In 2021, Orant launched the Orant University Fund. It aims to enable underprivileged students in Malawi to attend university.
“Once the students are educated,” says Lonjezo Chauya, Orant’s Education Program Manager, “they have more ways to make a difference in their communities and the world.”
This year, Orant’s Ulemu Scholarship will fund university tuition for 7 outstanding Malawian students. 6 girls will be fully funded and 1 boy will be partially funded.
The Ulemu Scholarship targets students who graduated from secondary school under Orant’s sponsorship. All selected students performed well on their secondary school exit exams. The scholarship can cover:
- Tuition for a private or public university
- Room and board
- Books and other expenses
“Many students we serve have dreams of making a difference as teachers, doctors, or government officials,” says Lonjezo. With the Orant Ulemu Scholarship, students can take one step closer to their dreams.
In the future, we hope to provide university scholarships to as many students as possible. This includes those we couldn’t assist in secondary school. We believe poverty shouldn’t be a barrier to education. Everyone deserves to learn.
Share on:
The Orant Journal
Meet Mara Kamutu: Orant Sponsored Student Mara Kamutu – Orant Sponsored Student Cases of school dropouts and early marriages are not a …
Esther Maupa is a 2022 recipient of the Orant Ulemu Scholarship. This scholarship covers university tuition for Orant Sponsored Students.
Mary Chipala applied for the Orant Charities Ulemu Scholarship. She is one of 7 students who won the scholarship to attend university.
For a long time, inclusive education has been a challenge in Malawi. Children with special needs have less access to education.
In Malawi, primary education is free. But for secondary education, families must pay tuition fees. For families with more than one child, school costs can become a burden.
Every Tuesday and Friday, the Kasese Youth Club meets on Orant’s campus. They participate in talks, conversations, and games.
Education improves earnings and inspires possibilities. All students deserve to learn and girls need extra support.
Poor sanitation and hygiene are major contributors to the burden of disease and school dropouts in rural schools and communities in Malawi.
13 years ago, Princess became one of Orant’s first sponsored students. Now she gives back to her community as an intern.