Ten PLE stars from Nwoya awarded scholarships

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Ten bright young minds from Nwoya district have been awarded full scholarships, offering them a promising path to further their education after excelling in the 2024 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).

Out of 96 applicants, 10 girls who all scored Division One in the national exams were selected to receive scholarships from TotalEnergies EP Uganda.

Six of them will study at St Andrea Kaahwa in Hoima city, and four will study at Ocer Campion Jesuit College in Gulu city.

Awarding the scholarships to the beneficiaries on February 22, 2025, Josephine Mary Nyakato, the TotalEnergies EP community liaison supervisor, revealed that the beneficiaries are entitled to full tuition fees, scholastic materials, pocket money, and transport, among others.

She added that the scholarship scheme does not only foster academic excellence among the girls but also empowers them to study sciences.

Since its inception in 2013, at least 327 children from Nwoya have benefited from the scholarship scheme, which also offers career guidance, according to Nyakato.

Beneficiaries’ parents react

The parents of the beneficiaries could not hide their joy when they accompanied their girls to the district headquarters to receive the scholarships.

Jennifer Abalo, 44, a mother of four and a resident of Paduny Lamogi cell in Anaka subcounty, was beaming with joy as her 13-year-old daughter, Bridget Atimango, received her scholarship package.

Abalo recounted the struggles faced last year when her daughter sat for the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) at Destiny Academy Primary School.

Abalo found herself burdened with sh6 million in debt, prompting the school to confiscate Atimango’s belongings, including a mattress, a box, and a bucket, when she failed to clear it.

While her sister lent her a helping hand by contributing towards the education of her other children, Abalo—a widow—felt a surge of uncertainty about how to finance her youngest daughter's education.

However, to her immense joy, Bridget emerged victorious, qualifying for the full scholarship—a development that filled Abalo with relief and hope.

Grace Anena, 45, and a mother of four, shared Abalo’s sentiments.

Her 15-year-old daughter, Patricia Adyero, defied all odds by scoring aggregate 8, thus qualifying for the same prestigious scholarship.

Anena, who lost her husband in 2023, has carried the burden of providing for her family.

“Each day, my daughter took a gruelling 10-kilometre trek from home in Ogom Pudyek to Anaka Primary School, navigating both the distance and the challenges of domestic life to excel in her studies,” Anena told the New Vision.

In a bid to support her daughter’s education, Anena borrowed to venture into brickmaking.

“My heart is full of pride and excitement knowing that my daughter is among the select 10 girls who qualified for the total O-level scholarship,” she said.

Emmanuel Orcah, the Nwoya district chairman, hailed TotalEnergies EP Uganda for the initiative but urged it to consider increasing the scholarship opportunities from the current 10 slots to at least 20.

Christopher Ocowun, the TotalEnergies EP Uganda public relations officer, emphasised the importance of academic excellence, stating that the girls must demonstrate exceptional performance to meet the stringent standards set by the participating schools.

He also warned that any incident of indiscipline attributed to a beneficiary would result in the termination of that child's scholarship.