Kingdom Men’s Network, the Men’s Fellowship Unit of House on the Rock Church, the Refuge, Abuja on Sunday offered scholarships to 10 indigent secondary and university students of the Church.

Fidel Pepple, Chairman of the Network said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the scholarships were for a school session and that the beneficiaries were from eight different families in the church.

He said that the scholarship was a way of encouraging students who were exemplary in the teenage and youths sections of the church to perform better.

People said that part of the selection process was the financial challenges faced by parents of the beneficiaries to further their education.

“Our intervention was to help ensure they continue with their academics and not drop out. We selected these 10 through a combined effort between the youth section and the network.

”The youth department did the selection and forwarded the names to us while we enforced the scholarship,” he said.

People said that after the one-year academic sponsorship, a review of their performance would be carried out to assess the sustainability of the scheme.

One of the beneficiaries, Ofunne Ruth, a 300-level student of the University of Abuja, while expressing gratitude, said the scholarship was not expected by any of the beneficiaries.

“I am glad to be one of the beneficiaries as you always get rewarded for working in the House of God. Two days ago I heard rumours of the scholarship but I never imagined my name will be mentioned among the beneficiaries,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Jemimah Hussaini, said she felt excited as the scholarship came as a surprise to her and that she was glad to be so honoured.

She said since her father died, her mother had battled financially to ensure she attended good schools.

“My mum is a civil servant and it has been a struggle for her, knowing her salary might not fend for our needs. So, it is really mind blowing relieving her of the stress for a whole academic session,” she said.

Elizabeth Silas, a mother to one of the beneficiaries, said she was excited about the offer to her daughter.

Silas said she had to struggle to pay off the balance of her daughter’s school fees as examinations were about to commence in school.

”It is a very big relief to hear I no longer have to worry about my daughter’s next session school fees. This will give me room to save for other basic needs in the family,” she said. (Independent)