The President of Malawi, President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, has described the upcoming Africa – US Presidential Forum on STEM/AI in the U.S September 20-22, 2023 as a welcome initiative to propel Africa beyond her current status.
President Chakwera was speaking at the virtual launch of the Africa – US Presidential Summit on STEM/AI.
He noted that, “Through this programme, you are giving us a chance to create our own future. This programme will equip Africans with know-how and the wherewithal to do what we can do for ourselves, instead of relying on others in the past.”
The Malawian President gave the assurance that he will be joining other African heads of state to engage at the Forum next month in New York and at Rutgers University, in Newark- New Jersey, on the sidelines of the UN SDGs and General Assembly.
The Africa – US Presidential Forum on STEM/AI is part of a campaign which offers Africans the opportunity to study STEM and AI in the United States, Canada, and other developed countries to be rolled out in September 2023. The campaign is driven by the multiple award-winning SOS Global Investments and the Nekotech Center’s African STEM & Sports Institute of Excellence (ASSIE) Prep School and Readiness College.
The Executive Chairperson of the SOS Global Investments and the Nekotech Center, H.E. Rev. Dr. Princess A. K. Ocansey in her address indicated that the Center and her partners are providing $25 million in prep school scholarships and access to $1billion in educational loans to support students who qualify to participate in the programme.
The requirements are a Bachelor’s degree with GPA 3.0/4.0, age 21-40 and the ability to cover other expenses such as readiness and English proficiency, tickets, medicals, US Visa and settlement services.
“The scholarships for the Prep school range from 20% to 100%, and each student can get up to $100,000 in the loan program for the payment of their tuition, books and living expenses.”
said Nekotech’s Executive Director, Ms. Ida Abbeyquaye.
The candidates will do a two-year master’s degree in STEM/AI after which they will work for three years earning $60,000-$200,000/year and return to Africa.
The candidates will pay back the loan starting with interest only while in school, and the principal- six months after they start working full time. Candidates have up to 10 years to pay back the loan.
The Provost and Executive Vice Chairman of Rutgers University, Newark-NJ spoke about their collaboration with SOS Global Investments and Nekotech Center through Professor Byron Price, formerly of Rutgers, now of the Medgar Evers College in NY- Nekotech’s Chairperson for Diaspora Engagement. Provost Robinson also spoke about the courses on offer at Rutgers University which includes STEM, AI, MBA and others to be offered to the incoming African students.
A partner of SOS/Nekotech, H.E. Dr. Justina Mutale described the program as “a great opportunity to give Africans global level education to make them competitive. It will also provide education that fits the future needs of Africa and the future of work and the future of the world, which is AI and the digital age.”
As part of the program, students start with a Virtual Readiness and English Proficiency College at $236. Upon certification, candidates become certified to enter the ASSIE Prep School at a 100% scholarship for certain partner schools and 20% scholarships for other schools. The scholarships are valued at $2500 through the African STEM and Sports Institute of Excellence (ASSIE) and up to USD100,000 loan on admission to the STEM Affiliated Schools.
This proven life-transforming program, started as a pilot program five years ago and already has African students in top schools like the Colorado School of Mines, Duquesne University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Stevens Institute of Technology, Pacific University- Oregon and more.
Brimah Lakoh from Sierra Leone, now at Steven’s Institute of Technology, participated in the launch to share his postive experience with the program.
The program has students from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Malawi already in the USA studying and working and Zambian candidates with visas about to leave this August.
H.E. President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera was installed as the Chairperson of the historic Africa-US Presidential Forum on STEM/AI and was presented with a $2.5 million prep school scholarship pledge and access to $100 million educational loan for up to 1000 Malawians for 2024 to undertake high paying STEM/AI programs in the USA and Canada.
The actual checks will be presented to H.E. President Chakwera in the US on September 22, together with other few selected African Presidents to be nominated by President Chakwera and the Board. The programs will be occurring during the United Nations High-Level Week in New York.
In a related development, Nekotech has launched a video challenge and contestants are to upload their videos dancing to the theme song for the campaign and upload them onto the social media platforms of SOS/Nekotech with the hashtags #leveldonchange, #Nekotech-AI and #STEM-AI.
The program ended with a vote of thanks from Rev Rose Nelson of the House of Roses California, and a prayer of agreement by Bishop Collins Pratt of Sierra Leone and Bishop Dr Evans Glover of Maryland, a member of V55 – Nekotech’s VIP Strategic Partners assigned to the President of Ghana.
Interested persons can register to attend the Africa-US Presidential Forum in US on September 20-22, via: [email protected].
