LSP students and parents join in a traditional dance at the university scholarship award ceremony

As one of Invisible Children’s Legacy Scholarship Program (LSP) students in secondary school, Mercy Aloyo is appreciative of the supporters of IC for being able to finish her education. She did so well, that she has now been awarded a university scholarship through LSP for development studies at Gulu University. “On joining the university I was uncertain where my tuition fees will come from, but IC has come up once again to support me,” says Mercy.

The LSP has continued to target students like Mercy who are both academically excellent, and also vulnerable in some way that makes completing education a challenge. Some examples of factors that might make a student more vulnerable include extreme poverty, formerly abducted, orphaned, child mother, or HIV/AIDS positive.

Last week, LSP held its sixth scholarship award ceremony for 100 university students, including Mercy, from northern Uganda. In the presence of their parents, guardians and other invited guests, the 100 selected students were awarded university scholarships to pursue courses in the fields of sciences and arts from public universities around the country.

Words of encouragement were passed on to the students, calling upon them to work hard and avoid misbehavior that could lead to them being suspended from the program. The new students will be assigned LSP mentors, who together with their parents or guardians, will counsel and help them overcome academic difficulties to achieve success in their chosen fields.

Invisible Children’s Head of Office and a district official hand out scholarship awards to students