Recipients Of MTN Foundation scholarship recount experiences

Someone once said, “By touching one life, you impact that of many others.” That line accurately describes the impact of the MTN Foundation Scholarship on Ijeh Rebecca Ene-Ayi.

An undergraduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Political Science department, Rebecca heard about the scholarship scheme during her first year at the university. The desire to become a recipient of the MTNF scholarship was enough motivation to attain the required Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) for qualification. She would go on to apply and after acing the application process, she has received the scholarship twice since 2019.

Before becoming a recipient, Rebecca barely had enough funds and resources to survive daily school life. However, since she got included in the scheme, she has been able to pay her school fees on time with enough for her upkeep. It even goes further than that; she helped with the payment of her sister’s fees too. Aside from academic payments, Rebecca is a proud owner of a registered business.

In her own words, “Life was tough, but with the scholarship, I was able to scale through. It has been useful in sorting out school fees. When I received the first payment in 2019, I was able to settle the school fees of my younger sister, who was in her final year at Benue State University at the time. After the second payment, I was able to register a business with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). I am now running a better business. I deal in the production of coconut oil, honey, and other beauty products for organic use. I am the owner of Benecence Enterprise.”

Malomo Tolulope is another testament to the succour and relief that comes with being an MTNF scholarship recipient. Tolulope is a Computer Science undergraduate at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). When she heard about the MTNF Scholarship Scheme from her friend, she was initially skeptical and reluctant to apply. Her dad and older sister encouraged her to apply, so she did. She scaled through the process: application, shortlisting, essay, and online test.

Tolulope eventually became a recipient of the scholarship. She has, since, experienced schooling with less stress, as opposed to how it was before she received the scholarship. It has not helped only her; it also extends to her parents. With the MTNF scholarship, she has helped reduce expenses for her parents.

She said, “I’ve been a recipient of the scholarship for about half a year now, and it has been a huge help to me. It has reduced the financial burden on my parents and made schooling easier for me. It’s such a great privilege to be a recipient of the MTNF scholarship, and I’m really grateful for it.”

As a firm believer in youth empowerment, MTN Foundation (MTNF) Scholarship Scheme is one of the many initiatives MTN has established. It is also a major contribution towards achieving the fourth sustainable development goal (SDG 4), which is Quality Education. The MTN Foundation Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme targets Nigerian public tertiary institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education). It aims to encourage academic participation and excellence in youths across the country by recognizing and rewarding students with excellent grades.

The Scheme is further divided into MTN Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme (MTN STSS), for students in Science and Engineering disciplines and the MTN Scholarship Scheme for Blind Students (MTN SBSS) for blind students across all disciplines.

Every year, thousands of students anticipate the commencement of application for the scholarship. When it commences, they are required to apply online, providing basic information and uploading the necessary documents. Despite the massive number of applications received, the process is a fair and transparent one that spans into different stages. Applicants who scale through one stage move to the other, from initial application to essay writing and test.

Every year, over three hundred (300) students become new recipients and are included in the scheme. Old recipients are not left out either; they are eligible for renewal every year till graduation if they meet the required Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).

To participate in the MTNF Scholarship schemes, applicants must be a full-time second-year undergraduate in a Nigerian public tertiary institution; Have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) score of 3.5 or its equivalent (2:1); have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (Upper Credit) from the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) programme and must have secured admission into the Higher National Diploma programme (HND); Have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (upper credit) from the OND programme and have secured admission into your second year in a public University as a Direct entry-level student.