The Scholarship Program in Kindu
The Scholarship Programme
In October 2007, we initiated a scholarship programme in Kindu, a city in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since the program began, the number of applications has increased steadily in selection rounds. We maintain a small office in Kindu, which enables us to select and look after our scholarship holders.
Goals of the project
With our scholarship program in Kindu, we intend to
- provide new perspectives to young and motivated people in a war-torn region
- qualify students for shaping the reconstruction of the country
- generate a multiplier effect by supporting our fellows’ own development projects
Long-term goal: educating a new generation
In the long-term, our scholarship program is to contribute to the education of a new generation that is not part of the powerful and rich elite, but rather pursues a constructive development approach. We believe this to be particularly important for Congo, as the existing elites often attained their powerful positions by corruption and were sometimes even involved in war crimes.
Hence, Kindu is an appropriate place for our project, as Maniema province is one of the poorest in the country, and the whole eastern part of Congo is often neglected in political decision-making in the capital Kinshasa. Therefore, supporting existing potential is particularly important in this region.
Main criteria for sponsorship
The scholarship program is to support young people and students in Kindu who
- are in need,
- show exceptional social-minded behaviour and
- propose a convincing development project of their own.
We try to ensure balance between male and female scholarship students; their respective percentages may not exceed 60%.
Financial support
Our fellows receive financial support comprising academic fees and study materials, as well as a subsidy for living expenses. The grants amount to approximately 1,200 Euro per year.
Continuation of sponsorship is decided upon annually; support generally continues to the end of their studies. All scholarship holders have to submit semi-annual progress reports in electronic format which are required for the continuation of sponsorship. Furthermore, we expect our fellows to spend at least two hours per week on a non-profit project.
Mentoring the scholarship holders
In addition to financial backing, our fellows also receive conceptual support in matters concerning their voluntary work as well as their personal projects, e.g. we give assistance in establishing non-university contacts for internships or for the elaboration of our fellows’ personal projects.
If possible, additional material is to be made accessible: For example we provide pencils and notebooks for alphabetization courses arranged by our fellows.
Cooperation Partners
The scholarship program in Kindu benefits from cooperation with different partners.
Within the international network of Students without Borders, we cooperate with our Canadian and Spanish counterparts, for instance in selecting new scholarship students.
Our partners in Maniema and particularly Kindu are important contacts who can provide first-hand information about the region. In addition to that, we cooperate with established local organizations, especially in the fields of voluntary work and the personal projects of our fellows, and cooperate with them to arrange workshops to provide our fellows with key professional and educational qualifications. For instance, in 2010 we were able to organise a workshop on project management, in collaboration with our close partner from the GIZ in Kindu.
Another important contact is the Congolese NGO AJADE that advises our fellows on the realisation of their projects. We also collaborate in arranging workshops. In September 2010, Mr. Germain Musombo of AJADE visited our local team in Tübingen and gave a presentation to inform them about the work of NGOs in Maniema. We also took this opportunity to discuss close further cooperation.
Positive effects on the region
Our work in Kindu primarily targets students and school graduates who are given the chance to receive a university education. Through their projects and voluntary work, however, a much larger group can be reached. Our fellows act as multipliers of their skills and knowledge and thereby an entire region can benefit from our support.
This is especially true with our projects for education infrastructure. Beyond supporting our fellows, we intend to enhance the quality of higher education and to contribute to educational opportunities by installing a computer center and establishing a library in Kindu.