Ashinaga Africa Initiative 2017

Contribute to Sub-Saharan Africa’s development through higher education abroad

Ashinaga is a Japan-based nonprofit organization, which provides educational and emotional support to orphaned students. The organization has supported over 95,000 orphans in the last 45 years, and many of its graduates are actively contributing to society in a variety of fields across the world.

The Ashinaga Africa Initiative began in 2014. Its mission is to contribute to Sub-Saharan Africa’s expanding role in global development through increasing access to higher education abroad. We support orphaned students who are committed to returning home and initiating change by providing access to full financial support to study at university abroad (equivalent to undergraduate degree), including tuition, room, travel cost and other necessary fees.

Requirements

The application is open to those who:

1.      Have lost one or both parents.

2.      Have completed 12 years of education (primary and secondary school) within the last two years, or those who will complete 12 years of education by December 31, 2016.

3.      Have citizenship and completed/are completing high school in one of the following countries: Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mauritius, Somalia, Nigeria, The Gambia.

4.      Were born after 1st October 1994.

5.      Do not have the financial means to attend university.

6.      Are proficient in English.

7.      Have an outstanding academic performance at high school.

8.      Are able to participate in the two Ashinaga preparatory programs, over the course of one year, before attending university.

9.      Are willing to return home, or to Sub-Saharan Africa, and contribute to society in Sub-Saharan Africa after graduating from university.

10.  Have no dependents who could interfere with academic progress.

11.  Are in good health condition and capable of studying abroad.

Application Documents to Submit

This application form.

One passport photo.

Copy of term reports / high school transcripts (the last 2 years).

Academic transcripts or diplomas from university/post-secondary institution, if applicable.

Copy of General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).

Completion of essay 1 and essay 2. 

§  Essay 1:  Please describe how you grew up and experienced losing your parent(s). What challenges have you faced after the loss and what and how did you do in order to overcome them? Please write in detail especially the action you took to continue further education. (Maximum 500 words)

§  Essay 2:  Please write a “personal statement” in English describing why and what you want to study at university abroad. Also, please mention whether you have any future plans of how you want to use the knowledge and experience that you gain after graduating from university. (Maximum 500 words)

Copy of death certificate of deceased parent(s) or alternative official document.

Copy of birth certificate.

Recommendation letter from a principal or a class teacher.

Copy of national ID card or passport.

Awards or activity certificates, if any.

Final Deadline: February 28th 2017*

**We’ll only accept “Copy of General Certificate of Secondary Education”, if students are graduating in 2016. Please send the copy via email to admissions.en@ashingaga.org as soon as you receive the result (at latest by March 31, 2017).

If you have any problems during the course of the online application, please send an email to admissions.en@ashinaga.org. 

Please also note that ONLY Successful candidates will be contacted via email in late March 2017 to be invited to attend an interview in their home country, which will take place in April 2017.

This application and selection process is free for students, and anyone asking for payment at any stage of this process is doing so against the will of Ashinaga, and should not be paid.