By: Van
Soul Addey
Airtel Malawi has inducted
25 students of the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) who
received merit-based scholarships under the Airtel Nzeru Fund Tech initiative.
The induction ceremony at
the MUST campus in Thyolo, brought together officials from Airtel Malawi and
the university, as well as the scholarship beneficiaries.
Airtel Malawi Managing
Director Aashish Dutt said the scholarship, delivered through the Airtel Africa
Nzeru initiative, targets talented students pursuing science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Dutt said the sponsorship
goes beyond financial assistance and represents an investment in the potential
of students to contribute to national development by bridging talent with
opportunity.
He said STEM education is
important to national development because it promotes critical thinking and
innovation required to support digital transformation and the realisation of
Malawi 2063 goals.
Congratulating the
beneficiaries, Dutt urged them to remain curious, disciplined and resilient
throughout their studies. He also encouraged them not to allow their current
circumstances to limit their ambitions and reminded them of their
responsibility to society as they achieve professional success.
Representing the MUST
Vice-Chancellor, Assistant Registrar (Academics), Dr Duncan Batizani, thanked
Airtel Malawi for supporting the students through the scholarship programme.
Batizani challenged the
beneficiaries to look beyond obtaining academic degrees by using their
technology education to embrace digital advancements, develop innovative
solutions and strengthen their leadership and communication skills to address
real-world challenges.
He said the induction also
provides important non-academic support, including mentorship and financial
literacy training, and encouraged students to use these opportunities to build
professional networks and manage their resources responsibly.
One of the scholarship
recipients, Vanessa Ziwoya, said the scholarship had eased her financial burden
and pledged to work hard towards achieving her academic goals.
The Airtel Nzeru Fund Tech
scholarship covers tuition fees, accommodation, monthly upkeep and data
bundles. The support will continue until the beneficiaries complete their
studies at MUST.
