Remain focused on your dreams, Wings to Fly beneficiaries told

Elimu Scholarship beneficiaries have been advised to make the best of the Wings to Fly sponsorship fully aware that opportunity comes once in a lifetime.

Equity Group Foundation chairman Dr James Mwangi told beneficiaries who attended the 15th annual education and leadership congress at Kenyatta University to remain focused on their ambitions and dreams to change their circumstances.

In attendance were Form 1 and 2 Wings to Fly scholars from four regions.

“It would be sad and unfortunate to fail to change your life up to the age of 18. We got you when you were 14, we are asking you for only a sacrifice of four years, but a sacrifice that will shape the next 85 of your years” Dr Mwangi said.

He said the foundation holds the leadership congress on the realisation that paying school fees isn’t enough since the beneficiaries are still young and highly susceptible to peer pressure.

Dr Mwangi said the congress provided an opportunity for the scholars to redefine themselves and make amends where possible when they still have time.

“We are here to encourage you, we are here to spire you. In Form 1, you still have time to make sure if there are any amendments or corrections in the way you do things you have enough time. A Form 2 you still have two more years.”

Dr Mwangi revealed that the Wings to Fly programme has so far benefitted 60,000 scholars, 35,000 of whom are Form 1 to Form 4 learners.

“If we thought we had made a difference, we now have made a significant difference. This is an impactful programme,” he said.

Dr Mwangi reminded the scholars to remain true to the ambition they had when they first applied for the scholarship and never get distracted “because you’ll lose the prize and the prize is the change in your life”.

“This scholarship was like charity; you only win charity once. Charity is not won every other day. It’s not the aspect of getting the scholarship that is important, it’s how you use the scholarship that counts,” he said.

Dr Mwangi advised the scholars to set good examples in leadership by demonstrating what they would like to see in others saying success happens at the intersection of values, character, personality and knowledge.

He said a good leader should at all times exercise humility, honesty and empathetic to others, adding that good grades can be gotten by anyone but its character and an individuals’ values that define them.

“You have come from a challenging environment, the least you can do is remain humble. If you became proud and arrogant, you disconnect yourself from your family, village and colleagues. If it pleases you that we came to your life, it would please others if you the same way. And because you have received in abundance, please give generously.”

Dr Mwangi told the scholars to at all times seek to understand others and not to be understood.

“Even if they are different from yourself, don’t judge them based on your feelings and emotions, you are not a standard.”