By Arthur Baguma

HERITAGE Oil and Gas Company has donated sh112.5m to Kitara Heritage Development Agency scholarship fund (KHEDA).

The donation was announced by the Heritage president in Uganda, Martin Aliker, during the launch of the fund at Kampala Sheraton Hotel last week.

The money will go to supporting bright successful students from Bunyoro region who cannot afford tuition at university.

“After realising that many children in Bunyoro pass A’ Level but are unable to pay for university education, we decided to partner with KHEDA to sponsor at least five students per year,” Aliker said.

Aliker noted that the offer was in line with Heritage’s policy. Heritage started the sponsorship support in 2008 and spends about sh18m per semester to support five students. The scholarship will run until August 2011.

Aliker said Heritage offered to support the scholarship fund because it meets the company’s financial support criteria. For a student to qualify, they must be of academic excellence, with limited means and have a university admission.

He also announced that Heritage would double the number of students they sponsor from five to 10. An additional sh20m in pledges and cash was raised from over 180 people who turned up for the fundraising dinner.

While launching the fund, the Omukama, Rukirabasaija Solomon Gafabusa Iguru Rukidi IV, advised the Banyoro to invest in education and ensure that their children get good education.

He advised them not to look at the oil discovery in Bunyoro as the only means to end their problems. “Eventually, the oil will get exhausted. What we need are skills because they are self-sustaining,” the Omukama said. He pledged sh500,000 per annum to the fund.

The fundraising was braced by a cross-section of the Banyoro community living in Kampala and surrounding areas.
KHEDA was established in 2006 with the objective of contributing to a united Bunyoro-Kitara in which all people are involved in the formulation and implementation of development plans and programmes which affect them.

Shem Byakagaba, the Chairman of KHEDA said the broad objective of the scholarship fund is to restore the past glory of Bunyoro in education. He said the criteria for selecting beneficiaries is open and transparent.

Byakagaba said nine students have received support from the fund. The scholarship only supports science courses.