Post: Be honest while applying for Helb loans, students urged

Students applying for higher education funding have been urged not to shy away from giving real information on their family background to enable relevant authorities to gauge their needs.A philanthropist, Japheth Amollo, said it was disappointing that some of the students from poor backgrounds end up placed in a category that requires them to pay hefty college and university fees just because they felt embarrassed to give the situation as it is in their families.He was speaking at Ndori Primary School grounds in South Gem location, Siaya County, while flagging off 23 students joining Rachuonyo Technical Training Institute through his sponsorship.'I would advise students applying for higher education loans to always give real information that would help those doing the banding to get the real picture on the ground,' he said, adding that at times students do not give adequate information to help gauge the ability of their backgrounds.Amollo called on the authorities to come up with a transparent way of getting to know who is needy.The philanthropist called on the well-to-do in the society to consider sponsoring the underprivileged youths to acquire knowledge and skills that would enable them to serve the society.'By giving the youth skills, we try to minimise the rate of unemployment, which will go a long way in curbing insecurity,' he said, adding that 'a youth who is not idle will not think of engaging in crime.'The 23 students, whose full tuition fees will be paid by the philanthropist, will study various technical courses such as electrical engineering, building and construction, and plumbing.Their representative, Winston Churchill, hailed their benefactor and promised to work hard in appreciation.'I finished Form Four in 2022 and have been yearning for such an opportunity,' said Churchill, who will be studying plumbing.Source: Kenya News Agency