{"id":4228,"date":"2022-05-23T16:10:41","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T14:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/?p=4228"},"modified":"2022-05-23T18:36:48","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T16:36:48","slug":"wpdi-kiryandongo-refugee-settlement-scholarships-program-to-expand-in-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/fr\/news\/wpdi-kiryandongo-refugee-settlement-scholarships-program-to-expand-in-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"WPDI Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement Scholarships Program To Expand in 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

May 23, 2022 –<\/b> L\u2019Or\u00e9al via its L\u2019Or\u00e9al Fund for Women<\/span> has decided to join the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) and the Western Union Foundation to support the scholarship program through which we will help underprivileged children stay in school in and around the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement in Uganda. The program will benefit 307 students at <\/span>Panyadoli Self Help Secondary School and Stella Matutina Girls School<\/span> throughout 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The scholarship program is a key piece in the unique educational initiative that WPDI has been running since 2018 at the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement in Uganda, home to some of the region\u2019s most vulnerable young people, many of whom have escaped war zones such as South Sudan and have witnessed or suffered from extreme cases of violence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The idea of the scholarship program originated in a conversation between our Founder and CEO, Forest Whitaker, and the former CEO of Western Union, Hikmet Ersek, who had the opportunity to meet with children and youths from the settlement when <\/span>they visited the camp together<\/span><\/a>. Inspired by their aspiration to a quality education, Mr Ersek decided to help talented child and youth refugees complete their education, committing resources through the Western Union Foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Based on the instant feedback we receive from the schools (Office of the Prime Minister, Refugee Welfare Committee, head teachers, classroom teachers, matrons, patrons, students), the WPDI Scholarship program has really impacted the lives of refugee children, the schools themselves and the wider local community.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Furthermore, local traditions and customs have generally meant that young girls are prevented from accessing any education at all, as they are either married off young or forced to stay at home to help out around the house. But conceptions are changing, and our program is slowly helping parents realize the importance of education for their daughters, to give them a better chance at succeeding and becoming peacemakers in their own right.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe parents\/guardians\u2019 perceptions are being changed from primitive cultural beliefs and practices that state that young girls are not supposed to go to school but stay at home, be kept safe and prepared for marriage with the primary goal of attracting wealth for the clan\/parents. This kind of thinking was more pronounced among the Dinkha and Nuer communities. When the WPDI scholarship program was launched in 2018, 200 vibrant girls were recruited and enrolled into formal education at secondary school level.\u201d <\/span><\/i>said Mr. Joseph Lemi, the Chairperson, Refugee Welfare Committee I, Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Observing that the program had both an immediate impact on the lives of the recipient children and a long term one on families, we undertook to mainstream it into our programs. Last year we launched an effort, including a <\/span>crowdfunding campaign<\/span><\/a>, to help support the education of over 200 young people. This year, we are delighted that L\u2019Or\u00e9al via its L\u2019Or\u00e9al Fund for Women<\/span> has decided to join WPDI and the Western Union Foundation in this venture and help fund the scholarship program for 150 students out of a total of 307 at <\/span>Panyadoli Self Help Secondary School and Stella Matutina Girls School<\/span> throughout 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A post shared by WPDI (@whitaker_peace)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n