FAWE Uganda Scholarship Program was initiated in 1999 in response to hundreds of appeals received from intelligent yet economically disadvantaged girls across the country who had failed to access and complete their education because they lacked school fees and scholastic materials.
The scholarship scheme started with seed funds from FAWE Uganda members (Ugandan women who value and have a passion for the education of girls) and enabled 30 girls to access secondary school education by the end of the year 2000. Initially, the program targeted only female students but this has evolved over time and male students have been supported too.
The key activities involved in the process of implementing and managing the bursaries include the formation of a bursary technical committee; transparent identification of the most deserving scholars within the given criteria; delivery of an all-inclusive scholar’s package; execution of a comprehensive scholars mentoring program; regularly updating the scholar database; and finally, the documentation of good practices and lessons learnt for information sharing with stakeholders.
Over the years, FAWE Uganda has solicited for additional financial support from individuals, the corporate sector, funding agencies and diplomatic missions to enable girls access education. This collaboration with different funders has seen FAWE Uganda providing scholarship opportunities to more than 8,000 young people including vulnerable girls and boys at secondary, tertiary and University levels.
Some of the funders FAWE Uganda has partnered with over the years include USAID – Ambassadors Girls’ Scholarship Program (AGSP), Mvule Trust Scholarship, Kenny Family Foundation, Mr. Forberg, Irish Aid, Beautiful World Canada, UN Women, Mastercard Foundation, Wellsprings Philantropic Fund, LEGO Foundation and government of Canada. Other partners include MTN Foundation, Africa Development Bank and Social Initiative Education Grant.
