This week, a total of 102 students were admitted to the second edition of the Equity Leaders Program (ELP).
The program is implemented under various programs in the Equity Group Foundation (EGF), the Group’s social impact engine.
The ELP was established in 1998 as a rigorous leadership development program for top-performing Kenyan students with the aim of creating a community of transformative leaders who work together across borders and various sectors to drive sustainable economic growth and social progress in Africa.


ELP expanded from Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo last year, making it a regional program that plays an important role in integrating the East African region through the sharing of ideas and resources, building a network of young professionals, and creating an alumni network of young and budding innovators who are likely to solve the region’s socio-economic challenges.


Speaking at today’s commission of the scholars, Dr. Ruth Waweru Equity Group Director, Strategic Human Capital said they want to help and shape you to become transformative leaders with the right values.”
“I urge you today to pick a purpose that is bigger than yourself. When you do, you never have to feel like you work a day in your life because the purpose will fuel you & give you the passion to do anything,” she said
To make the program effective and inclusive, beneficiaries are selected from 50 districts, where the bank has a presence.
“The Equity Leaders Program, a mentorship and leadership development program, plays a significant role in extending Equity Bank Uganda’s social impact contribution through the scaling up of various programs that are already under implementation through EGF,” the foundation said in a statement this week.
The picked scholars are always exposed to a high-performing environment and are taught the values of hard work, work ethics, customer service, communication skills, integrity, and professionalism


For this year, the cohort was selected based on the 2022 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results released by the Uganda National Examination Board.
These concluded a one-week induction process and will now proceed to join Equity Bank for a 3-6 months paid internship program where each scholar will get a monthly stipend and will experience on-the-job training and mentorship within various departments.
“Through ELP, we have mentored close to 7,000 young scholars in Kenya and have nurtured them through paid internship work experience, coaching, and mentorship while supporting their transition to the best local and global universities as we prepare them to enter the world of work.” Samuel Kirubi, the Equity bank’s Commissioning, the Group Chief Operation Officer said.
“Equity Group is excited to continue impacting lives and livelihoods by empowering the top performing boy and girl from every District by giving them an opportunity to discover their potential and explore this,” he added


Anthony Kituuka the Equity Bank Uganda Managing Director revealed that the program has been designed uniquely and will also offer the scholars an opportunity to apply for admission and full financial aid at global universities through admission into the College Counselling Program.
A program that runs for 3 months and is aimed at exposing them to the global universities’ admission process and how to maneuver through a new education system. This will allow them to join other scholars in top institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and Yale among others across various continents of the world.
Through the program, the bank Kituuka said is empowering the youth by giving them an opportunity to experience the corporate world and rub shoulders with top-class executives who will not only positively influence them into leadership roles but who have also dedicated a significant amount of their time to train and guide them.
“This is a significant day for us as Equity Group because it is a mirror reflection that our young people will play a primary role in inspiring a future leadership that is keen on excellence and also giving back to the community,” he said
“These scholars will get exposure to the corporate world even before joining university to pursue their higher education and dream careers. By taking part in the paid internship program, they get exposure at a young age and will also learn multiple life skills including personal branding and presentation, saving and investment, and how to navigate the corporate world. The stipend they earn will also play a significant role in uplifting their economic status and that of the communities around them and to us, this is why ELP is impactful,” added Kituuka.


Over 700 ELP scholars have completed their tertiary education in leading global universities such as MIT, Yale, and Columbia among others, and have secured employment and senior roles in top multinational and global companies including Vice President at Bain Capital, Director of Government Affairs at AstraZeneca, Senior Consultant at Boston Consulting Group, Software Engineer at Bloomberg with a large number taking senior leadership positions within the region and the continent.
