Zimbabwe: BAT to Continue Sponsoring Underprivileged Students

Source from:  16 November 2009 11/17/2009

Harare - BRITISH American Tobacco will continue supporting underprivileged students to attain their goals by providing scholarships for tertiary education, the company said last week. Speaking at the presentation of two scholarships to two University of Zimbabwe students in Harare, British American Tobacco Zimbabwe Limited board member, Mr Jeremiah Tsodzai, said the company would continue to empower students especially those that were underprivileged. "We subscribe to the business principle of good corporate conduct which captures how the company strives to manage the business. Business success brings with it an obligation for high standards of behaviour and integrity in everything we do and whatever the company is associated with," Mr Tsodzai said. BAT Zimbabwe (Holdings) Limited managing director, Mr Lovemore Manatsa said so far 52 students had benefited from the Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme established in 2005. The scheme is run with the blessing of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education and has drawn participants from various State tertiary institutions and agricultural colleges around the country. He said the recipients were not in any way bound to work for BAT Zimbabwe but "we hope that they and others look favourably upon the company as an employer of choice". The two students are currently in their second year of studies at the UZ and apart from their tuition fees being met by BAT Zimbabwe, they will also receive an allowance during the course of their studies. Director of university of education in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Mrs Martha Muguti welcomed the BAT Zimbabwe initiative saying that business had to play a role in supporting education. "This initiative is a reinforcement of the need for Public, Private Partnerships and recognises the shared responsibility in educating our nation. The question of funding education in this country could be well addressed by initiatives such as this because Government is struggling to support education from primary through to tertiary education," she said. Patience Majekwana (21) and Tafara Gapare (20) were selected after they responded to an advertisement inviting deserving students to apply. Patience is studying social work , while Tafara is studying medicine and looks forward to serving the community. Enditem