BRIGHT STUDENTS  TAUGHT HOW   TO  ‘GO FOR IT’ BY NCBA

A mentorship  retreat  organized    by   NCBA  and  Edumed    comes  in  handy  for  ambitious  high  school  students  from  across  the  country

By George Gichuki

Many students from low income households face challenges  while pursuing  education in high schools,  tertiary institutions  and  universities.  Interventions  by well-wishers  through  scholarships  therefore  godsend  for the said students.  But even as they  support  needy  students  financially , many forward looking  organizations are  nowadays  equipping    them    with important life skills as they endeavour  to mould them into responsible  and  all round citizens.

It  is  against this background that  NCBA  in partnership with Edumed Trust organized a highly   successful  mentorship   retreat for one  hundred students from eighty schools across twenty eight counties  in Kenya.  Its  venue   was  Moi Nairobi  Girls School.  As  a socially responsible corporate citizen, NCBA  is a champion  of  inclusivity.  To  that end,  the organization supports   initiatives  that  are aimed at empowering  youth through education, mentorship sessions  and sponsorship. The partnership  with Edumed Trust is a good case in point.  Through this initiative, NCBA  promotes inclusivity  by sponsoring  students  from diverse  and  underprivileged  backgrounds. By and  large, this demonstrates  the  bank’s  strong  commitment  to   social  responsibility.

Edumed   Trust is  a  Kenyan Christian charitable trust that is dedicated  to supporting academically promising students from underprivileged  backgrounds.  Edumed’s  partnership  with NCBA  aligns  with  the bank’s  sustainability  goals.  It focuses on  empowering  youth with  critical   skills  and values  that  are needed  for  professional  success.

Memorable  day 

The mentorship  retreat  focused  on integrity, teamwork , adaptability  and   communication as  fundamental  values  at  the workplace.  This  session was conducted  by Winnie  Keriri,  NCBA’s  human  resources,    learning and development manager  together with Constance Ouna, branch  manager, retail  banking at the city centre branch.  “ As you embrace  change, you  learn new skills, build resilience and  become  proactive,” Constance  told  the attentive students adding  that  currently, organizations   have to adapt to technological  changes so as  to remain competitive.

She also  emphasized  on  the  need  of  embracing  teamwork  at  the workplace. “  Take responsibility  of your share of work  and  contribute  towards  the end goal,” she  said. “ It is  not  possible  to  achieve  the goal   of  your organization alone; you  need a team  to do so,” she emphasized.  The students   were  also advised  to  be  confident  since  it boosts  their self-esteem.

Constance  further   advised  them    to  have  both  hard ( acquired  through learning)  and  soft ( personal  strengths)  skills.   “ Even if  you are highly  educated, you cannot succeed  in a job without  soft  skills  like effective  time management  and  ability  to solve  problems ,” she cautioned.

Sustainability  agenda         

As  the head  of  learning  and talent  development at NCBA, Winnie  Kirira  emphasized  that  the  pillar on  women  and  youth  empowerment  is  part  of  the  bank’s  sustainability  agenda. “ This  is  where we  seek  to  empower  the   youth and women  by   equipping them with skills  through  education and mentorship,” she said.   She added  that  currently,  the  bank  is     focusing  on  enhancing    inclusivity specifically around building skills among  the youth , equipping them with the right values and preparing   them   for success ;  especially  at   the work place.  “ We  have  therefore   partnered  with  Edumed Trust   over the last ten years and in  the  process,   we have   built inclusivity by helping students who are from  under privileged  backgrounds to acquire  skills  that are critical  for   their success at  the workplace,”  she said.

She further said  that the  bank’s  session  during  the Edumed’s  mentorship retreat  was aimed at  equipping  students  with the right values   and  skills   that are   critical   for  their success in life and at  the workplace.  “ The session was very enriching  and the students were eager  to learn how they can stand  out in life,”  she observed. “  In view  of our tagline – Go For It-  our message to the students was that they should  aim very high in life,”  she added.

TESTIMONIALS  FROM  TWO  BENEFICIARIES

SHARLEEN  KENDI  URGES GIRLS  TO FOCUS  ON THEIR STUDIES

Sharleen Kendi  is a form two student at Kangaru Girls High School in Embu county.  She is under  the scholarship  programme  of  NCBA in partnership with Edumed Trust. “ I sincerely  thank  NCBA for sponsoring my high school education,” she said on the sidelines  of  the mentorship retreat.  Among other  areas, she said that  they had been taught  about their identity as God’s children,  weather  and   climate change  and self-awareness  during  the mentorship  retreat.

Sharleen  advised  high  school girls  – especially  the ones  under scholarship  programmes – to be  focused  on  their studies. “ There are many girls  who missed  scholarship  opportunities  yet they were in need ,” she said. “ For the lucky ones – like myself-  it is important to study hard so that we can perform well  and  proceed  to the universities,” she added.

LEWIS  NG’ANG’A  DREAM  OF  PURSUING  HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION  KEPT  ALIVE  BY  NCBA  AND EDUMED

Lewis Ng’ang’ a  is a form three student at Aquinas High School in Nairobi county.  He is also  a beneficiary  of  the  NCBA and Edumed scholarship programme.  “  I worked extremely  hard  in primary school  and  hence passed very well in my Kenya  Certificate of Primary Education ( KCPE) examination.  I am  very  thankful   to  NCBA  and Edumed   for  offering  me a scholarship  to pursue  high  school studies,” he said adding that  his parents  were not in a position  to do so.  He confessed that he was admitted late in form one  because  of  financial  challenges.  Nevertheless, after  the intervention  of  NCBA and Edumed, he has settled fully in school and is  highly  optimistic of registering  good results in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education ( KCSE) examination.

Students participating in a tree planting exercise after the mentorship retreat.