Airtel Africa has approved an initial $500,000 to fund the Airtel Africa Fellowship Program, aimed at supporting 10 undergraduate students throughout their four-year course duration.
This initiative is being launched under the company’s foundation, Airtel Africa Foundation, and focuses on students studying at IIT Madras Zanzibar, the first foreign campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
The fellowship will benefit students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
The program targets deserving students from 14 African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Selected students will be known as “Airtel Africa Fellows” and will receive full coverage of their college fees, totaling $12,000 for the four-year program.
Additionally, they will receive $500 to cover living expenses.
The fellowship aims to provide opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, fostering the development of future leaders who can contribute to technological innovation and economic growth in Africa.
Zanzibar’s Minister of Education, H.E. Ms. Lela Mohamed Mussa, and Airtel Africa Foundation’s Chairman, Dr. Olusegun Ogunsanya, both expressed optimism that the fellowship will enhance educational opportunities for African students and contribute to the continent’s development.