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His Excellency, the President of The Republic of Zimbabwe Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa established the ED- UNZA Scholarship fund and pledged to support Zimbabwean candidates to further their studies at the University of Zambia. A scholarship Fund Trust which is chaired by Mr Herbert Nkala (HN) has been set up to oversee the initiative. Our Staff Reporter (SR) had an exclusive interview with Mr Herbert Nkala(HN) on the ED-UNZA Scholarship. Below are excerpts:
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SR: Welcome Mr Nkala! Thank you for allowing me to talk to you about the ED-UNZA Scholarship.

HN: You are welcome! It is my pleasure to be talking to you.

SR: You are the chairman of the ED-UNZA Scholarship Trust. Tell us more about the background of the Trust and the scholarship programme.

HN: The ED UNZA Scholarship Trust was formed by His Excellency, the President of The Republic of Zimbabwe Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa on November 27 2019. His vision is to expand education of Zimbabwean students to study at his former university, UNZA. The scholarship aims to provide an opportunity for the needy and academically gifted learners to access tertiary education.

SR: The Government of Zimbabwe considers education as a key driver for the industrialisation agenda and promoting socio-economic growth. Is the Scholarship Program a Government Initiative?

HN: The Trust and scholarship was established by His Excellency in his personal capacity. The Scholarship Trust’s Board is run by five highly committed and passionate Trustees and it is not a government initiative. As a matter of fact, the ED-UNZA Scholarship Trust is a private initiative by His Excellency President Mnangagwa. His intention is that the scholarship programme will outlive him.

SR: You highlighted that the scholarship aims to provide an opportunity for underprivileged learners in Zimbabwe to study at the University of Zambia. Can you elaborate on the selection criteria for the beneficiaries? Who qualifies for the Scholarship?

HN: The scholarship will sponsor highly gifted students from indigent backgrounds who passed their Advanced Level Studies with 13 units or better. It will benefit learners from the country’s entire 10 provinces, with a gender balance which does not prejudice the girl child in particular. The learners will pursue studies in law, medicine and sciences.

SR: How many students will benefit from the scholarship program?

HN: The ED-UNZA Scholarship program will sponsor 15 underprivileged students annually, 10 from Zimbabwe and five from Zambia. The number of beneficiaries will grow exponentially. By the fourth year, we will have over 40 Zimbabwean students at UNZA and over 20 Zambian students in Zimbabwean universities.
SR: What form of help does the ED UNZA Scholarship provide to the beneficiaries?

HN: The students will pursue fully paid undergraduate studies at the University of Zambia and selected universities in Zimbabwe. It will also provide for the subsistence of beneficiaries through provision of the following fundamentals: Laptops, Tablets, Clothing, Facilitating travel to Zambia.

SR: There are individuals, corporates or NGOs that might be interested in sponsoring the ED-UNZA Scholarship Program. Does this program have an exclusive sponsorship agreement?

HN: No, the scholarship does not have exclusive sponsorship agreements! As the Board of Trustees, we invite all stakeholders to join forces with us towards promoting this worthy cause. Our inaugural anchor sponsors are FBC Holdings and FMC Finance. We encourage the corporate world to come on- board so that we can transform the livelihoods of underprivileged students through providing equitable access to education.

SR: What is your advice to the beneficiaries?

HN: This is an amazing opportunity for the beneficiaries to learn and grow. I urge the beneficiaries to be role models for their families, the community and the country at large. They must be respectful and gracious visitors to Zambia.