AGE Africa, an international organization dedicated to offer secondary and tertiary education scholarships to vulnerable boys and girls on Thursday celebrated what is called a major milestone’ with the graduation of the first cohort of students under its End-to-End Scholarship Program.

The End-to-End Cohort 1 consisted of 30 students from all public universities across Malawi.

The Organizations Post-Secondary Education Coordinator Irina Manjomo Pasiya told Zodiak Online that the first graduates included seven students from Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), mark the beginning of a new chapter for the initiative. 

She said currently, AGE Africa supports four cohorts in public universities, with each cohort consisting of 30 students and after the seven LUANAR graduates, another four students from the University of Malawi (UNIMA) are expected to graduate in August this year.

“The End-to-End Scholarship Program provides comprehensive scholarship package to the students throughout their university studies and this includes tuition fees, accommodation, meals, stationery, laptops, and living stipends, ensuring that the students are fully supported academically and socially during their university education," said Pasiya.

She said in addition to academic support, the program also includes a one-year paid internship aimed at equipping students with practical workplace experience and improving their employability after graduation.

Unlike many scholarship programs that focus on one gender (mainly girls), the End-to-End initiative supports both boys and girls, promoting equal access to higher education opportunities.

One of the scholarships beneficiaries, Stella Grecian from Kasungu told Zodiak Online that coming from a poverty stricken family, life was unbearable and chances of attaining the university education were minimal.

"The coming in of AGE Africa was a great relief to me and my family and I am very grateful for this education support," said Stella who graduated with Bachelor's Degree in Education Sciences majoring in Mathematics at LUANAR.     

According to Pasiya, the organization will continue investing in education as a pathway to breaking the cycles of poverty and building sustainable communities across the country.

By the end of the End-to End-to-End Scholarship Program in 2032, AGE Africa will have supported 625 university students, this is according to Pasiya.