“I am impressed to see that scholarship support is helping to encourage children and especially girls to attend school and also to involve them in many activities in school and the community,” said one commune chief when GEI presented scholarships for 368 students at 12 schools during February 2013. The meetings were attended by Commune council chiefs, village chiefs, LSMC representatives, DOE representatives, teachers and school directors, as well as students and parents.

The students each received a bicycle, 2 sets of school uniforms, books and pens. This year the bikes were allocated to via raffle,which was enjoyed by all! One student, in grade 10 said she was felt like she was one of the luckiest students to receive the scholarship and expressed her thanks to the Oaktree Foundation and Terre des Hommes who are funding the program.