News: Denise Nyakeru raises awareness among students about the EXCELLENTIA program and sickle cell disease in Lubumbashi
As part of her EXCELLENTIA program, the President of the Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi Foundation brought together approximately one hundred and eighty students from twenty schools in Haut Katanga to inform them about this initiative aimed at promoting academic excellence among young people. This event, which was held at the Pullman Hotel marquee in Lubumbashi, also aimed to raise awareness among students about sickle cell anemia, the first genetic disease in the world.
Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi underlined the importance of young people in the development of the country, encouraging them to aim for a minimum of 85% success to be eligible for a scholarship. This scholarship will offer winners the opportunity to continue their university studies, whether at a local institution or abroad.
Raising awareness about sickle cell disease was also at the heart of this meeting. Doctor Kadhy Nsingi led an educational session to inform students about the harms of this disease and encourage them to get tested. Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi stressed the importance of prevention and the fight against sickle cell disease, calling on students to get tested without hesitation.
To illustrate the impact of the EXCELLENTIA program, some scholarship recipients from the first edition were present to talk about their journey, thus serving as a concrete example for future winners.
EXCELLENTIA is an ambitious ten-year program that rewards academic excellence by awarding scholarships to students who obtain a minimum of 85% on the state exam. The goal is to award 1000 local scholarships and 100 international scholarships.
To date, the EXCELLENTIA program is in its fourth edition and already has 241 scholarship holders, including 82 who are continuing their studies abroad, notably in Morocco, France and the United States, as well as 159 local scholarship holders.
This awareness lunch organized by the Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi Foundation highlighted the importance of academic excellence and the fight against sickle cell disease among young students in Haut Katanga. Thanks to initiatives such as EXCELLENTIA, these young people will have the opportunity to develop their academic potential and contribute to the future development of the DRC.