Freshmen Scholars feel Optimistic about their future at UoG

For the past couple of years, the country of Ethiopia has been trying to reel from constant developments in the country and the pandemic that has affected the entire world. Far from the normal days that were so frequent before 2020 the people of Ethiopia have been resilient and determined to overcome grave obstacles of this time. It is with this backdrop that the new freshmen class of the Scholars Program at UoG have entered their new educational journey. And they have done so with a cause and dream of tackling issues that face this world.

The Scholars Program is one of the best programs in the world that caters and supports those people in communities who are marginalized and often overlooked. The Scholars Program is strictly for talented people with disabilities and disadvantages and seeks to create a new status quo where these individuals are leaders in their society, and wider region. Freshmen Scholars who joined with this pledge of excellence and transformative fervor are on their way to making this a reality.

One such freshmen is Rediet Gizaw who is enrolled in the general Social Science curriculum in her first year at the University of Gondar. In her short time at the University of Gondar Rediet has shared that her experience is quite positive and that the Program has been able to show that it is willing to support and assist the Scholars from the beginning. “We have been able to gain stipend every month, tutorial courses and mentorship sessions which are helping in more ways than one,” expressed Rediet.

In addition to this exceptional rap around support the Scholars Program also offers assistive devices, admission to study in a variety of fields, transportation, guidance and counseling and one of the more forward thinking and accessible environments in higher education in the Ethiopia.

The Scholars Program at the University of Gondar has been able to churn out exceptional leaders who are now found in various professional positions throughout Ethiopia. These Alumni Scholars have expressed their appreciation of the Program and the skills they attainted which has been life changing. When referencing on the expectations she has for the Program and the years to come Rediet has stressed that she expects to be transformed into a person who will be able to operate on a global scale.

“Along with being able to compete with others and be a leader in my respective right, I expect to grow my extracurricular activities and be able to grow my global network where I would be able to connect to other Scholars around the world to share experiences and to formulate global ideas that will help the world and specifically Ethiopia,” shared Rediet. Rediet Gizaw details that when this happens she will have a general sense of her weaknesses and strengths and which will help cultivate her into an international individual.

When asked where she sees herself in the next five years Rediet’s answer was simple and straight to the point. “After five years I expect to finish my studies and enter into my professional career to help my community using my future law degree.” Rediet plans to update herself economically and knowledge wise and volunteer in her community to uplift those who are severely impacted economically, physically and politically.

Rediet is one among many Scholars who has a story and a tremendous plan for the future. The Scholars Program at UoG has admitted 60 Scholars at the beginning of the academic year and in its sixth year it is on its way to fulfilling its aim of educating 450 talented youth with disabilities and disadvantages. These Scholars have all come with belief, determination and a unique trait to solving some of society’s problems and are set to create and leave a better world for future generations that come after them.