Title: The “EXCELLENTIA” program fuels the ambition for academic excellence and the fight against sickle cell disease
Introduction :
The President of the “Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi” Foundation recently met with nearly one hundred and eighty students from twenty schools in Haut-Katanga to present the “EXCELLENTIA” program to them. This event aimed to raise awareness among students of the importance of academic excellence and the fight against sickle cell anemia, the first genetic disease in the world. This article reviews the details of this event and highlights the positive impact of the EXCELLENTIA program on the education and health of young Congolese.
The EXCELLENTIA program: Promoting academic excellence
The EXCELLENTIA program, initiated by the “Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi” Foundation, aims to reward academic excellence by granting scholarships to the best students who have obtained a score of at least 85% in the state exam in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The objective is to give young people the opportunity to continue their university studies, whether in local establishments or abroad. To date, the program has already awarded 241 scholarships, some of which allow students to continue their studies in Morocco, France and the United States.
Sickle Cell Awareness: A Disease to Fight
In addition to promoting academic excellence, the event also raised awareness among students about sickle cell anemia, a genetic disease that affects many families in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The President of the Foundation insisted on the importance of getting tested and taking preventive measures to fight this devastating disease. Screening kits will be made available to students in Lubumbashi hospitals, in order to facilitate the early detection of sickle cell disease.
The example of former scholarship holders
During this event, some former beneficiaries of the EXCELLENTIA program were present to testify to the positive impact of this initiative on their educational career. These students were able to continue their studies thanks to the scholarships obtained and are now concrete examples of success for future winners. Their presence helped inspire and motivate the students present to give the best of themselves to access this educational opportunity.
Conclusion :
The EXCELLENTIA program, initiated by the “Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi” Foundation, plays a key role in promoting academic excellence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By offering scholarships to the most deserving students, this program opens the way to higher education opportunities and helps train an elite of young talents. In addition, raising awareness of sickle cell disease during this event shows the Foundation’s commitment to the fight against this disease which affects many Congolese families.. Thanks to initiatives like EXCELLENTIA, the education and health of young Congolese will continue to improve, paving the way for a promising future for the country.