One hundred of Uganda’s highest-achieving secondary school students have been formally inducted into the Equity Leaders Programme (ELP), a flagship initiative of Equity Group Foundation aimed at cultivating transformative leadership across Africa.
The induction ceremony took place on Monday at Africa Bible University in Lubowa, Kampala, marking the start of a new cohort’s journey through one of the continent’s most competitive education and leadership pipelines.
The programme operates across Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It identifies the top-performing students in national secondary school examinations from each district and supports them through a structured four-pillar model encompassing mentorship, career coaching, college counselling and access to global universities.
Selected scholars also receive between three and six months of paid internship experience at Equity Bank, providing early exposure to professional environments and practical workplace skills.
Addressing the newly admitted scholars, Equity Bank Uganda Managing Director Gift Shoko described the opportunity as both a privilege and a responsibility.
“Being part of this programme is not by chance. It is a result of a rigorous selection process. It means you are among a distinguished group of young people in Uganda,” Shoko told the gathering.
Shoko also encouraged scholars to embrace uncertainty as part of personal growth, noting that a lack of clarity is natural at their stage of life.
“The most important thing in life is to find yourself,” he said, urging students to use the programme as a platform for self-discovery and purpose.
He closed his address on an aspirational note: “Aim for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”
Since its founding in 1998, the ELP has expanded into one of Africa’s most respected education and leadership initiatives. To date, 10,505 scholars across the region have benefited from mentorship, internship placements and university support.
Of those, 1,115 have secured admission to leading global universities on fully funded scholarships, including Ivy League institutions such as Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania, as well as top institutions across Europe, North America and Asia.
As Uganda continues to prioritise youth empowerment and skills development, programmes such as the ELP are increasingly regarded as strategic investments in the country’s future leadership and global competitiveness.
The latest cohort joins a growing network of Equity scholars based across Africa and abroad. With academic excellence already demonstrated, the challenge for these students now extends well beyond grades, to leadership, innovation and national impact.
