Houston Scholarship Fund 2025

Highlights of Selected Students for Secondary Education  2025 

This year, we are excited to welcome six promising young girls to secondary education. After a rigorous selection process involving numerous candidates from various primary schools within the Arumeru District, these six outstanding students have been chosen to commence their secondary education on January 13th, 2025.

Upendo, a 13-year-old student from Ngyeku Primary School, lives with her parents and 12 siblings. Her father, a former roofer, is no longer strong enough to work, and the family relies on their small piece of land for food. Upendo, the best student at her school, was chosen for support due to her parents’ inability to fund her education. With her outstanding academic performance, she is expected to excel at Ngyeku Secondary School.

Agape, a 13-year-old student from Tuvaila Primary School, lives with her mother and 20-year-old sister. Her mother, a former gardener, currently has no permanent income or land to cultivate for food. Despite these challenges, Agape excels at school and aspires to become a cardiologist. Without electricity at home, she completes her homework using her watch light, demonstrating remarkable dedication. Confident and charming, Agape will attend SEGA, a girls’ boarding school in Morogoro.

Magreth, a 14-year-old student from Imbaseni Primary School, lives with her mother and nine other family members. Her father works as a security guard in Arusha town, far from home, and the family relies on his income. Her mother has no means to generate income. Despite these challenges, Magreth is determined to continue her education and aspires to become a president or politician to address the dangerous road near her home. She is performing very well at school and will attend a local secondary school.  

Rehema, a 16-year-old student from Ngongongare Secondary School, lives with her grandmother and six other family members. Her mother abandoned the family, promising to return but never did. Her grandmother, who is very old, cannot work. Rehema receives assistance from her primary school teachers rather than her family. Without family support for her basic needs, she faces the risk of early marriage if she does not continue her education. Despite skipping from Standard 4 to Standard 6 due to her age, Rehema performs well at school. She will attend a local secondary school next year.

Salma, a 14-year-old student from Imbaseni Primary School, lives with her grandmother and two other family members. Her parents separated and left her in her grandmother’s care, but they do not support her. Her grandmother struggles to provide food by working on other people’s farms but cannot afford school contributions. Despite these challenges, Salma excels academically, consistently ranking first or second in her class. She is passionate about studying and will attend SEGA, a girls’ boarding school in Morogoro.

Lightness, a 13-year-old student from Faye Crane Primary School, lives with her mother and two siblings. Her mother occasionally sells vegetables and fruits, but sometimes they can only pray and go to bed with just a glass of water, hoping for a better tomorrow. Lightness faces the challenge of crossing five rivers to get to school, one of which is very dangerous, and her mother prays for her safety every day. Despite these hardships, Lightness excels academically and aspires to become a teacher. She will attend SEGA, a girls’ boarding school in Morogoro, in January 2025.