KCM, HELSB offer $100,000 scholarships annually
By Arnold Tutu
Konkola Copper Mines Plc and the Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board have partnered to offer 100-thousand dollars annually in scholarships to underprivileged Zambian students.
The initiative, known as the KCM-HELSBScholastic Excellence Programme, seeks to enhance access to higher education for deserving individuals and empowering the next generation of Zambian leaders and professionals.
The scholarships will be given in form of a loan that beneficiaries will payback through established mechanisms after completion of the programme.
HELSB Chief Executive Officer JOHN MACHAYI says the collaboration also marks a significant step in addressing the financial barriers that many students face in pursuing higher education.
Dr. MACHAYI says the programme will provide financial assistance to deserving students from KCM’s areas of operation namely Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kitwe, and Nampundwe, with a focus on fields critical to Zambia’s growth, such as mining, geology, ICT, and environmental studies.
The funds will be managed by the Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board.
And KCM Chief Operating Officer, MALCOLM MEWETT says education builds resilient communities and drives national development.
Mr. MEWETT says KCM has invested heavily in education since 2004 and it is one of the pillars of the company’s robust Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
He says the collaboration with HELSB reflects determination to inspire confidence and run the programme in the most transparent way.
The KCM-HELSBScholastic Excellence Programme sets a precedent for innovative partnerships that address the pressing need for skilled professionals in Zambia while offering life-changing opportunities to students.
This is according to a JOINT statement availed to ZNBC news in Lusaka today by Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board, Manager Corporate Communications and Customer Services CHISELWA KAWANDA and KCM Public Relations Manager and Communications VICTORIA ZIMBA.
