The first 15 recipients of the Goldman Sachs BBA Scholarship Program at the School of Finance and Banking (SFB) in Kigali, Rwanda have been announced. Krishna Govender, rector of SFB, announced the scholarship recipients at a ceremony at the school Aug. 21.
The scholarship program focuses on underprivileged but qualified women regardless of age, and brings business education to Rwandan women who have traditionally been denied opportunities in schooling. It comes at an opportune time because the Government of Rwanda has substantially reduced funding for scholarships for the 2008 academic year due to budgetary constraints.
Among the recipients are orphans, single women whose families can not pay their tuition, and married women whose household income is too low to afford college. Most said they would not be able to continue their schooling without the scholarship. Many aspire to be accountants or work in the finance industry.
WDI’s Development Consulting Services (DCS), in cooperation with SFB, designed and implemented the program. DCS is entering the third year of its engagement with the Government of Rwanda to provide capacity-building programs at SFB. The objective is to transform the school into a regional center of excellence in business education.
The scholarship program is part of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women initiative, which was launched in March. It will provide 10,000 women, predominantly in developing and emerging markets around the world, with a business and management education over the next five years.
WDI is one of a select group of leading institutions and business schools – which includes Harvard Business School, Wharton, Brown, and Columbia - partnering with Goldman Sachs to deliver programs in countries such as India, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Tanzania.
WDI is the first of Goldman Sachs’ U.S. partners to launch its project. WDI also will begin an entrepreneurship program for 30 Rwandan women in September.
Scholarship recipients were judged on a number of factors, including financial need and academic readiness.
A scholarship committee consisting of SFB’s Rector, its Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, and three distinguished Rwandans from outside the school, in consultation with WDI and Goldman Sachs, selected the scholarship recipients.
A second set of 15 scholarships will be given out in January 2009. All scholarship recipients will receive counseling and mentoring by the program manager and SFB faculty to ensure academic success. The intention is to award 15 renewable scholarships each year, with the program eventually reaching 60 women.
The first 15 scholarship recipients are:
Sylvie Umuhire
Ange Gatabazi
Claudette Uwamahoro
Esther Mukashyaka
Alice Rugasaguhunga
Edith Muhembasuku
Adele Nsanzimfura
Josephine Mutoni
Lilian Mbabazi
Patience Muyenzi
Justine Uwanyirigira
Natacha Mbabazi
Monique Kyamazima
Stella Muteteri
Febronie Mukasonga