The Sub-Saharan Africa orphans undergraduate scholarships programme is Ashinaga Africa Initiative aiming to offer higher education to brilliant students from Sub-Saharan African countries each year, some of which are among the poorest in the world, by encouraging them to become leading professionals in their own countries.

Ashinaga is a Japan-based non-profit organization offering scholarships to support orphaned students who are committed to returning home and initiating change, by providing access to full financial support to study at a university abroad (equal to an undergraduate degree). Ashinaga support covers tuition, accommodation, travel costs, and other necessary fees to study for undergraduate degrees at the world’s leading universities in countries such as Japan, US, UK etc.

Sub-Saharan Africa Orphans Undergraduate Scholarships Requirements

– Be an orphan, having lost one or both parents
– Be 23 or younger, having been born on October 1, 1995
– Have graduated high school within the past two years
– Be committed to returning to Sub-Saharan Africa once they have finished their studies abroad

Eligible Countries: Angola, Botswana, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Duration of Scholarship: for the period of undergraduate studies
Method of Application: There are three ways to apply for the Ashinaga Africa Initiative, although the Program prefers online applications or those sent by email. There is no application fee, and you must never pay anyone to apply or to apply on your behalf.

– Completed application form
– Working email address and telephone number
– Document proving the death of one or both parents, such as a death certificate
– Proof of age, such as a birth certificate, national ID or passport
– Secondary school/high school graduation certificate
– Results from final national exams
– Academic report cards from the last two years of high school/secondary school
– Recommendation letter from a principal or teacher
– Passport-style photo of yourself
– Both essays described below

Essays: Please type/write using a separate sheet of paper. If you choose to handwrite your essays, please write in print and with black ink. Essays written with pencils will not be accepted.

Essay 1: Please describe how you grew up and experienced losing your parent(s). What challenges have you faced after the loss of your parent(s) and what have you done to overcome them? Please write in detail, especially the actions you took to continue and further your education. (Maximum 500 words)
Essay 2: Please describe the goals you wish to achieve after graduating from a university abroad. Outline how the skills and knowledge you gain from a university degree would help you reach your goals when you return to Sub-Saharan Africa. (Maximum 500 words)

How to apply: Interested and qualified candidates for the Ashinaga Sub-Saharan Africa orphans undergraduate scholarships programme should visit the scholarship application website http://www.akinlawrence.com/sub-saharan-africa-orphans-undergraduate-scholarships/ for more Application process and Frequently asked questions