By Amin Kef (Ranger)
In a significant event held on September 1, 2024, Shri Gurudwara Sahib Sierra Leone Limited awarded its esteemed Baba Guru Nanak Scholarship Package to 127 pupils from Lumley and surrounding areas. The ceremony, held at the Gurudwara Sahib Temple, was attended by local dignitaries, sponsors, and community members.
Delivering the keynote address, Mohinder Bir Singh Sachdeva, known as Pa Jetty, CEO of Jetty Trading Company and Head of the Scholarship scheme, highlighted the importance of the scholarship program, which supports students from over 68 private schools in Lumley and its environs with financial assistance for school fees and study materials for the entire academic year.
He emphasized that the scholarship is not just financial aid but an investment in the future of the pupils, reflecting on the educational values of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Pa Jetty also mentioned the Gurudwara Sahib’s broader community efforts, including its response during the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing initiatives such as supporting the Sick Pikin Project and the offering of weekly free meals. He urged the scholarship recipients to use their education responsibly and contribute positively to their communities.
Earlier, Abdulai Bah, Head of the Baba Guru Nanak Scholarship Committee, thanked Pa Jetty and the Committee members for their efforts. He outlined the criteria for scholarship eligibility, noting that students must achieve at least 60% in their exams to maintain their scholarship status. He also highlighted challenges faced by schools, particularly those lacking proper accounting systems such as Bank Accounts and advised parents to choose affordable schools for their children.
Isatu Konjor, representing the parents of scholarship beneficiaries, publicly thanked Shri Gurudwara Sahib Sierra Leone for their significant support in covering school fees. She praised the organization’s role in enhancing the children’s education and pledged that parents will closely monitor their children’s academic progress. She also expressed gratitude to the Committee for their consistent support from primary through secondary school, acknowledging their vital contribution to the children’s success. Despite not having met the Committee members personally, Isatu Konjor emphasized the profound impact of their assistance, which has been a beacon of hope for many families.
Elaborating on the impact of the support, she pointed out that it came at a critical time when it was most needed, adding that the children’s education and well-being have significantly improved due to Shri Gurudwara Sahib Sierra Leone Limited’s intervention, enabling them to achieve better results and overall performance in their studies.
Charge d’Affaires of India High Commission, Neeraj Kumar Saini, praised the Gurudwara Sahib’s initiative and encouraged pupils to set and pursue their life targets or goals diligently. He advised them to focus on their targets in order to achieve their dreams to the fullest maintaining that it is possible that some of the beneficiaries will become future Ministers, doctors, lawyers and even Heads of State.
Neeraj Kumar Saini emphasized the need for the pupils to seriously concentrate on their academic work further advising the parents to ensure that their children live up to expectation of scoring 60% in their school work so that they will continue to benefit from the scholarship scheme.
Prominent Indian businessman Pa Balani shed light on the growth of the scholarship scheme for underprivileged school children. Reflecting on the initiative’s success, he noted that increased sponsorship, prayers and support have significantly raised the number of recipients, raising concerns about the adequacy of the current venue. He suggested that a larger venue might be necessary in future years if this trend continues.
Pa Balani, a key sponsor, acknowledged that many recipients this year had previously benefited from the scholarship. He encouraged the recipients to make the most of their opportunities and to remember their roots by helping others in the future. He also highlighted that the school attendance of some pupils has declined due to financial difficulties faced by their parents, who sometimes prioritize immediate economic needs over education.
Pa Balani cautioned that sending children to fend to support families could undermine the long-term benefits of their education. He concluded by calling on parents to closely monitor and support the progress of their children.
Harish Agnani, Head of the Choithram Group of Companies and Honorary Consul of Norway and Sweden to Sierra Leone, lauded Shri Gurudwara Sahib Sierra Leone for its extensive humanitarian efforts. Agnani highlighted the organization’s initiatives, including sending sick children abroad for medical treatment and providing assistance to the needy.
He emphasized that education is the most valuable gift one could offer, asserting that while money and material possessions may fade, education remains a lifelong asset. He encouraged students to diligently pursue their studies to continue to benefit from the scholarship. He urged parents to support their children’s educational endeavors.
This year’s scholarship package included partial or full coverage of academic fees, school bags filled with supplies, and 250 Leones for uniform expenses.
It must be noted that the scholarship reflects the Gurudwara Sahib’s ongoing commitment to education and community welfare, serving as a vital source of hope for many pupils and parents.
Established in honor of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism over 500 years ago in Punjab, North India, the Baba Guru Nanak Scholarship embodies the core values of Sikhism, equality, social justice, service to humanity, and religious tolerance.
Sikhism, the fifth-largest religion in the world, emphasizes learning and seeking truth, principles that the scholarship aims to uphold by supporting pupils in their educational journeys.