Misheck's next Station is India

A big step for a young man from Zambia: Misheck is our first student to study in India!

FCTrelief not only looks after our 85 students and all their needs, but also supports some of our successful school leavers as they continue their education in different ways and in different places.

As well as two trainee doctors and two more starting next year, our two pharmacy students, our business studies student and those who have completed their vocational year, we now have more in the pipeline after doing so well in their final year.

Our bright Misheck, who was offered a place at David Kaunda Boarding College in Lusaka after his outstanding results in Grade 9, has now completed his Grade 12 with excellent results. Thanks to a generous sponsor, he has been able to study and live at the college for the past three years, where he has found a very different environment to the one on the ground. Studying among bright and ambitious young students opened his eyes to the many opportunities available to him after school and to a brighter future.

A University in Punjab (India)

After doing so well at college, he started looking for a scholarship, ideally to study abroad, as the courses he wanted to take were limited or not available in Zambia. After researching many foreign universities in different countries, he found a programme at a university in Punjab in northern India that offered an 80% scholarship (including lodging) for the four-year Bachelor of Engineering and Technology (Computer Science) course. Through a Zambian agency that supports such students, he is now looking forward to his first passport and is waiting for his study visa and one-way plane ticket to fly to India in early August along with some other Zambian students. The university has other foreign students from African and Asian countries and has a good rating and reputation as well as contacts for study exchanges with other countries such as Canada.

Together with Misheck and the agent, we had an interesting Zoom meeting with the lady who is responsible for the foreign students at the university and made a very good and professional impression. When we looked at the website, we were able to ask her some important questions about living conditions, meals and health issues, which she answered competently, and we were convinced that this is an excellent opportunity for Misheck, with good possibilities to continue his studies after these four years or to find a good job.

Misheck is excited and a little nervous

His current sponsor has kindly agreed to continue to support him with the remaining 20% of the study costs and a small monthly allowance for additional living expenses, for which we and Misheck are very grateful. Misheck knows that this is the opportunity of a lifetime and is very excited, but understandably a little nervous as he has never been far from Lusaka, let alone abroad or on an aeroplane!

After all, English is widely spoken in India and is the language of study. He knows he can't return to Zambia for four years unless there is an emergency and he needs to be even more independent than he was at college, which was good preparation for university life abroad! He is determined to make the most of this opportunity and succeed.

FCTrelief supported Misheck with a new laptop and all the other things he needs, such as a suitcase, clothes, bed linen and toiletries, the cost of his passport, vaccinations and the agency fees. All in all, quite an endeavour for him to be ready. His uncle has helped him buy a new mobile phone so that we can keep in touch with him.

Wishing Misheck all the Best!

It was very special that his little sister was born last week so that he could see her before he left - he was very happy about that! His family will miss him but wish him all the best for a great future, which has only been made possible by the support of his sponsor and FCTrelief over the last 9 years. Misheck, who turned 19 in May, is a credit to his family and FCT and we all wish him all the best, a safe journey, a happy landing and a good start to this exciting new chapter in his life!