“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

THE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

bongolo hospital school of nursing - gabon, africa

Basic Dignities is partnering with the Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing in Gabon, Africa to help three young women achieve their dreams of becoming nurses. Bongolo Hospital was founded in 1977 by Dr. David Thompson. It is widely regarded as one of the best hospitals in western Africa, and patients come from all over Gabon as well as neighboring countries to be treated. It is located near the southern border of Gabon by a small town called Lebamba. Formerly a French colony, Gabon gained it independence in 1960. It’s economy relies on oil, manganese and timber production. The country is 85% rainforest and is home to 1.7 million people. One third of the people live in poverty.

The nursing school is directed by Sandra Freeman, a California native who has been involved with the school since 2014. The school currently has 14 students (10 women and 4 men). The program is three years long, and all students are required to maintain a 60% or higher to remain in the program. After graduation, all students are offered full-time positions at the hospital.

education in gabon

Children in Gabon begin attending school at the age of 6. At the age of 16 (the end of 10th grade), they take a national exam called the BCP. This exam is used by universities to determine if students qualify to attend. To attend Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing, students are required to take the BCP. If possible, the school prefers students take “the Bach”, a qualification that shows they have completed their primary and secondary education.

THE ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP PROGAM

Basic Dignities is partnering with Highway Academy to sponsor young women who are interested in studying engineering. Our team was first introduced to these women through our work at Wema Children’s Centre in Bungoma, Kenya (see details about this project here!). These women attended Highway Academy, the school affiliated with Wema. Our president, Brittany Sterling, met these women on a trip to their campus in 2017 and spoke to them about her experiences as a women in engineering in the United States. Several years later, these women have decided they would also like to pursue an education in engineering, which will allow them to help improve their communities after graduation.

education in kenya

Schooling in Kenya is broken into three parts: primary school, secondary school and higher education. Students attend primary school for eight years, from age six through fourteen. Then, each student takes a national exam. Students who score well on the exam then attend secondary school from age fourteen to eighteen. In order to attend any university (higher education) in Kenya, you must first qualify by taking a second national exam. Only a small number of students score well enough to continue their education at university. These young women have achieved admirable scores on their exams and are excited and hopeful about their futures. Their biographies with more information about their higher education plans are included below.

WARM HEARTS FOUNDATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

The Warm Hearts Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides a variety of services to people in Malawi and Kenya. Their mission is to provide a loving hand to lift those less fortunate out of poverty and into self-sufficiency by providing clean water sources, safe shelter, nourishment and educational opportunities. Basic Dignities co-founder, Tricia, was first introduced to the Warm Hearts Foundation when she had the opportunity to participate in a micro-loan project that helped women provide income to their families through improvements in their farming and produce sales. The women used much of their earnings to purchase the uniforms required for their children to attend school.

Basic Dignities is partnering with the Warm Hearts Foundation to provide scholarships to graduates of schools established by the Warm Hearts Foundation in Malawi.

To learn more about the Warm Hearts Foundation, check out their website: https://warmheartsfoundation.org.

PRESAID UGANDA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

PresAID Uganda is a nonprofit organization that works to provide education to youth in Uganda. It was founded in 2013 to get children in Uganda off of the streets. By investing in young children, PresAID is able to help these children succeed by providing shelter, medical care and education.

The education system in Uganda is composed of three parts: primary school, secondary school and university education. Primary school begins at the age of 4 and lasts for 10 years. Students attend three years of pre-primary school, primary grades 1-7, and then enter secondary school at the age of 14. Secondary school is six years long and can be broken into grades senior 1-4, and then two years of “high school”, senior 5-6. After completing secondary school, students have earned a certificate that qualifies them to attend university around age 20. While there are some government programs that provide funding for about 2,000 Ugandan students to attend university, most of these scholarship go to veterans or students in large cities. Approximately 40,000 Ugandan students apply to university every year.

Basic Dignities is working with PresAID Uganda to identify students in need of scholarships studying medicine, engineering or education.

For more information about PresAID Uganda, their mission, or their other projects, please check out their website: https://www.presaiduganda.org/.

MEET THE STUDENTS

Meet Nina. She is a 26 year old Gabonese student at the Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing. Nina has 17 brothers and sisters. Her parents are from Equatorial Guinea, where her father worked as a mason and her mother stayed home with her and her siblings.

Nina grew up with her mother but did not know her father until she was older. Financially, neither parent was able to assist with her education. At the age of 11, Nina’s mother did not have the means to support her, so she received help from her aunt, cousin, and older sister. After becoming a Christian, she also received help from members of her church. 

Nina has her BEPC, an educational accomplishment that is difficult to achieve in Gabon. She also received her BAC with help from members of her church. She began attending school at a university in Gabon but had to drop out after two years for financial reasons. Then, she heard about the Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing. She took the entrance exam and was admitted. She is currently pursing a nursing degree because she likes to help people, especially those in difficulty. It gives her the opportunity to help those who are suffering by providing aid and prayers for them. Medicine is a passion for her.

Nina says, “After I obtain my nursing diploma, I would like to become specialized and work as a nurse with the goal of becoming a missionary for the Lord. For other things to add, concerning my husband, he is trained to be a pastor, and our desire is to serve the Lord. Right now, we don’t have the means to do that, because he has not been able to find work. But by God’s grace, this will happen. I would like to say thank you for the support and help and ask that God will bless you.”

Meet Doria. She is a 27 year old nursing student at the Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing. Mighiama means “rainbow” and Mbouala means “fire”. She has 7 siblings, of which she is the second oldest. Doria has a child who is 6 years old.

Doria has worked very hard to earn her BAC. As a child, she had to work to pay for her education, as neither of her parents worked so could not afford to send her to school. She feels very fortunate to have been admitted to the Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing. She says, “I must work hard to succeed in this program so that I can help support my little brothers and sisters. They are counting on me. I want to be a nurse to help others, but also to help in my ministry of helping to heal people spiritually as well as physically. I am passionate about this type of work.”

Doria says, “When I complete this diploma I want to work right away, build a home, get married (because right now I am single). Just a few things to add; I truly thank the Lord for your association, for the love that He has put in your heart to think of others who are less fortunate. I pray that He will continue to fill you with His love, and open doors in your favor. God bless you and thank you.”

Meet Triphène. She is a 32 years old nursing student at the Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing. She is a single mother to a 6 year old.

Triphène was born into a poor family. Her father and mother were very young when they had her and separated shortly after her birth. She did not meet her father until she was 18 years old, and she has 18 siblings. Her maternal grandmother raised her in a small village in Gabon. When she turned 6, she had to walk 5km to a neighboring village to attend school. The next year, her mother came looking for her and took her to live in Gamba with her 2 sisters and 3 brothers. Triphène says, “My mother did not work, but occasionally would work by cleaning house. She was not married. Among my brothers and sisters no one works. I am the only one in formation at this moment. My mother is counting on me to complete this program, and my little brothers and sisters also.”

Triphène earned her BAC and BCP, and she was admitted to the Bongolo Hospital School of Nursing. She says, “I pray that the Lord will help me to be successful, because if not, I don’t know what else I could do. Since I was little, I have always wanted to pursue medicine, maybe even become a doctor of an ophthalmologist. After I obtain my diploma, I want to work right away. Because I love helping others, and the Lord has given me a lot of compassion for others. I will also be able to help my mother and my little brothers and sisters. I am thankful to the Lord for touching your hearts to come and help those of us less fortunate. I have an objective in my life, one day, I can structure my own life, but here in Gabon, it is difficult, not easy. It’s almost impossible. But I know that with God all things are possible.  I would like to thank you, you who have the pain and sorrow in your heart for others less fortunate. I pray that God will bless you and your family.”

Meet Millicent. She is a 22 year old civil engineering student at the Sigalagala Technical College. She is the third child in a family of seven children and was raised by a single mother in Western Kenya. She spent a large portion of her childhood at Highway Academy in Bungoma, Kenya. In order to help send her to college, Millicent’s mother sold part of her land to fund her education. Millicent says, “I chose civil engineering because I would like to be part of women change makers. I would like to work with communities to provide water solutions for health.” In her free time, Millicent enjoys reading and playing badminton.

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