Equity Bank has flagged off 12 students from Mombasa to Nairobi to join the prestigious Equity Leadership Program following their successful completion of secondary school under the Equity Elimu and Wings to Fly scholarship initiatives.
The students are part of a nationwide cohort of 733 beneficiaries drawn from across the country, including top-performing boys and girls from every sub-county.
The program seeks to nurture academic excellence while equipping young scholars with leadership and professional skills.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Equity Bank Digo Road Manager Claud Kililo said the initiative recognizes outstanding academic performers, particularly those who attained A and A- grades in their national examinations.
“We have three categories of students joining the program, including those from Wings to Fly and Elimu who achieved top grades, as well as the top boy and girl from every sub-county in the country,” said Kililo.
He explained that the students will undergo a two-week leadership induction in Nairobi before being deployed to different Equity Bank branches nationwide for a six-month internship and mentorship program.
“During this period, they will not just be students but our colleagues. They will gain work experience, mentorship and earn as they learn,” he added.
Kililo noted that the program has had a significant impact over the years, producing graduates who have pursued higher education abroad and later emerged as influential professionals within their communities.
“By the time they complete university, they will be fully equipped. We have seen many beneficiaries become key people in society after going through this program,” he said.
Among the beneficiaries is Sofia Sharif, an alumna of Bahari Girls Secondary School in Kilifi County, who credited the scholarship for enabling her to complete her secondary education.
“I’m a beneficiary of the scholarship and they paid for my school fees for the last four years while in school. If it were not for them, I don’t know where I would have been,” she said.
“I now want to pursue software engineering and make the most of this opportunity.”
Another beneficiary, Yvonne Wanjiru from Lamu County, shared her journey of resilience, saying the scholarship played a crucial role in overcoming financial challenges in her family.
“My family is not well off and this scholarship has been very helpful. I have a passion for medicine and becoming a surgeon, and that is what I will pursue,” she said.
“I was raised by my grandmother and she has played a major role in my education journey.”
Kililo said Mombasa’s 12 students represent the county’s academic strength and leadership potential at the national level, adding that the Equity Leadership Program continues to empower young Kenyans through mentorship, exposure and practical work experience.
The initiative remains one of the country’s leading education and leadership development programs, bridging the gap between academic excellence and professional growth for young scholars from diverse backgrounds.
