By Amin Kef Sesay
In fulfillment of its Corporate Social Responsibility, the Choithram International Foundation has on the 14th March 2022 awarded scholarship grants to two hundred and twenty-five (225) school-going pupils from various schools in the country during a short but momentous ceremony held at one of the business entity’s Conference Hall on Rawdon Street in Freetown.
Present during the event were the Financial Controller of Choithram International Foundation, Harish Agnani, the Chairperson of the Choithram Scholarship Fund Committee, Easterline Palmer, Cornelia Gabiddon, Williette Williams, both Committee members, the beneficiaries (School going pupils) with their parents and members of the Fourth Estate.
Harish Agnani welcomed all to witness another important gesture on the part of the Choithram Consortium which, he said, is geared towards the dishing out of scholarship grants to deserving pupils drawn from different schools and backgrounds in Freetown and the provinces which, according to him, is a yearly event. He underscored that this is not the first time that the Choithram Consortium, through the Choithram International Foundation is supporting the educational pursuit of Sierra Leonean children revealing how the offering of scholarship grants dates back to 1967. “Since that period it has been a continual event even during those gloomy periods of the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks and it is intended to be maintained,” he furthered.
He disclosed that they decided to increase both the amount of money and the number of beneficiaries. “The amount was raised from Le 110 Million to Le160 Million and the targeted beneficiaries are now 225 from the previous number of 164 Pupils,” he told all present.
Harish highlighted that there is the Choithram Scholarship Fund Committee that manages the Scholarship fund disclosing how they work alongside members of the Committee in terms of determining the eligibility of those who should benefit.
He dilated on the importance of education maintaining that it opens doors of opportunities in the lives of people also commending the Government for the implementation of the Free Quality Education. “Though the scheme makes provision for parents not to pay fees for their children yet they may need to provide lunch, purchase bags and other items which the grants that will be given out to the pupils will help greatly in that direction,” he stated.
The Choithram Consortium Financial Controller used the opportunity to inform that the grant money came from the Choithram International Foundation from which funds are also derived from in order to purchase equipment for the Choithram Memorial Hospital among funding other initiatives.
He continued by revealing that sometime next week they will be commissioning a new Dialysis Department/Unit at the Choithram Memorial Hospital and treatment will commence. “We have installed four new machines at the new Unit and have an expatriate who is training our local staff on how to effectively use those machines,” he informed, also disclosing that they will also install a new MRI machine from proceeds of the Foundation which will be used to conduct thorough diagnosis maintaining that it is a modern diagnostic equipment.
Chairperson of the Choithram Scholarship Fund Committee, Easterline Palmer, on her part expressed profound gratitude to the Choithram International Foundation for the kind gesture. Giving a synopsis about the scholarship scheme, she revealed that initially it was only limited to primary school going pupils but said with time it was extended to benefit pupils in secondary schools.
She cautioned the parents of the beneficiaries to use the grants judiciously and primarily to take care of the education needs of their children instead of lavishing them on extravagant lifestyles. “You must endeavour to use these monies wisely and ensure that your children concentrate on their studies because the grants are meant for pupils who are doing well in their studies but whose parents are finding it economically difficult,” she continued her admonition.
She emphasized the need for those who will be receiving the scholarship for the last time to write letters of gratitude to the Choithram Management expressing how the grants helped them greatly during pursuing their education at a particular point in time.
Dilating on the eligibility criteria, the Chairperson stated that the process for the award of grants starts with the issuing out of forms to be filled by applicants with areas soliciting information of where the applicant is residing and his or her class or level of education. She continued that they then critically look at the information provided, later determine the economic status of the applicant’s family and together with the Choithram Management determine those who actually should benefit.
According to her, the scholarship grants were increased from Le 500,000 to Le600,000 for those in primary schools, Le600,000 to Le700 for pupils in Junior Secondary School and Le 700 to Le800,000 for those in Senior Secondary School.
“The scholarship grants will be given on three days starting with primary school pupils to be followed by Junior and Secondary School Pupils,” Easterline Palmer stated and commended Choithram for the opening of the Dialysis Unit further appealing for the charges to be reasonable.
Secretary to the Committee advised the parents to submit their children’s Education Yearly Assessment Reports timely so that they as Committee members they will be at a vantage position to expedite the processing of their information.
The distribution of grants to the first set of pupils climaxed the occasion.
