Los Altos UNITED METHODIST WOMEN (UMW) established the AFRICAN STUDENT EDUCATION FUND in November 2005, after helping an African woman with higher education for two years.
UMW had connected with Gladys Nyauchi, a Methodist mission worker in Zimbabwe, through the Prayer Calendar program. After learning that her daughter, Loice, was a student at Western Michigan University who desperately needed tuition support, interest in education for African women grew. And this new education fund was established. The first use of donated funds helped Loice to graduate Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Economics.
The fund was designated to support African women with tuition for higher education. Schools will be accredited institutions. Students must intend to use their education in Africa. Funds will be sent directly to the school, not to the student.
Generous donations enabled UMW to support three students at Africa University for the 2006/2007 academic year with half tuition scholarships. Africa University is a fully accredited, United Methodist related Institution, the first private University in Zimbabwe, Africa. It offers six faculties or colleges and five postgraduate faculties. The cost of educating a student at the University for one year is US$5,400.
For the 2007/2008 academic year three students at Africa University were supported with half tuition scholarships and, because of a generous contribution from one church family, another student was supported with a full-tuition scholarship.
A very special event, "Sweet Spring Sale-Abration" in April 2007, raised funds to help to support students. Read more about the Sweet Spring Sale-abration here. Sponsored by the United Methodist Women, this sale offered unique items including a special greeting card created as a tribute to Sue Dodson. Read more about the Sue Dodson greeting cards here.
The "Sweet Spring Sale-Abration" event was repeated on March 16, 2008, and a special "5th Sunday" offering that month was designated for the African Student Education Fund. Together with other very generous donations from our congregation, for the academic year of 2008/2009 the fund supported three students with full tuition scholarships and five students with half tuition scholarships at Africa University in Zimbabwe, and three students with partial scholarships at the new Mozambique satellite campus. Also, full scholarships of $2500 each were given to two students at the new Methodist University Angola (UMA) and another scholarship of $5000 was given to an African woman at Central Methodist University in Missouri.
A third annual "Sweet Spring Sale-abration" was repeated on March 29, 2009 combined again with a "5th Sunday" special offering to support the fund. The awesome response to the sale and donations to the fund provided sufficient funds to support all continuing students who were supported last year, with the same scholarships for the academic year 2009/2010.
The Sale-Abration has become an annual event and in 2010 it was held on January 31, offering snacks for Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine gift baskets and sweets. Combined again with a 5th Sunday focused on our African Student Education Fund, the day was a very special event with special music by all choirs and African decor. Mr. James Salley, Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at the Africa University Development Office in Nashville, TN was our guest speaker at all services. He stressed the importance of education and talked about the achievements of many educated African women including Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, current President of Liberia and a strong United Methodist Woman. He encouraged our congregation to believe that miracles happen... that our goal of raising $38,000 for next years' students, could happen.
That miracle HAS happened. Over $40,000 has been raised which will support our continuing students at Africa University, Methodist University of Western Angola and our student from Zimbabwe who is studying in the United States. Plans have already begun for next year's Sale-Abration on January 30, 2011. (Click here to learn more.)
Names of students who have been supported by the African Student Education Fund are noted at the end of this page.
Donations from our United Methodist Women and from our congregation and community will be used to support these and additional students in the coming academic year.
Send donations to:
UMW/African Student Education Fund
Los Altos United Methodist Church
655 Magdalena Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024
For more information: janetrlull@att.net
2005/2006
- Loice Nyauchi, $5300 scholarship, graduated Western Michigan University 2006 (Economics)
2006/2007
- Gamuchirai Makotore, $2000 tuition, graduated from Africa University 2007 (Education)
- Avril Mhembere, $2000 tuition, completed third year, Africa University
- Tania Bathelomeu, $2000 tuition, completed second year, Africa University
2007/2008
- Avril Mhembera, $2000 tuition, completed fourth year, graduated from Africa University 2008 (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Tania Bathelomeu, $2000 tuition, completed third year, Africa University
- Marsa Chol Muan, $2600 tuition, completed first year, Africa University
- Kudzanai Mutsiwegota, $5400 tuition, completed first year, Africa University
2008/2009
- Tania Bathelomeu, $2700 tuition, completed fourth year, graduated from Africa University 2009 (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Marsa Chol Muan, $2700 tuition, completed second year, Africa University
- Kudzanai Mutsiwegota, $5400 tuition, completed second year, Africa University
- Domasia Mateus Dias, $5400 tuition, completed second year, Africa University
- Isabel Antonio Mota, $5400 tuition, completed second year, Africa University
- Francine Ilunga Mpanga, $2600 tuition, completed first year, Intensive English Program, Africa University
- Petronella Chalwe, $2700 tuition, completed first year, Africa University
- Jose Maria Gabriela, $2700 tuition, completed first year, Africa University
- Hazvinei Jeyacheya, $2000 tuition, studying for MBA degree, Mozambique Campus, Africa University
- Maria Nhavoto Mechisso, $2000 tuition, studying for MBA degree, Mozambique Campus, Africa University
- Marizilda Mechisso, $2000 tuition, studying for MBA degree, Mozambique Campus, Africa University
- Lastimosa Osorio, $2500 tuition, completed first year, Methodist University of Western Angola
- Eva Manuel, $2500 tuition, completed first year, Methodist University of Western Angola
- Tenderano Muzorewa, $5000 scholarship, completed second year, Central Methodist University, Fayette, Missouri
2009/2010:
- Marsa Chol Muan, $2700 tuition, third year, Africa University (Management & Administration)
- Kudzanai Mutsiwegota, $5400 tuition, third year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Domasia Mateus Dias, $5400 tuition, third year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Isabel Antonio Mota, $5400 tuition, third year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Francine Ilunga Mpanga $2700 tuition, second year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Petronella Chalwe , $2700 tuition, second year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Isabel Claudith Tito, $2700 tuition, second year, Africa University (Management & Administration)
- Hazvinei Jeyacheya, ongoing studies for MBA degree, Mozambique Campus, Africa University
- Maria Nhavoto Mechisso, ongoing studies for MBA degree, Mozambique Campus, Africa University
- Marizilda Mechisso, ongoing studies for MBA degree, Mozambique Campus, Africa University
- Lastimosa Osorio, $3000 tuition, second year, Methodist University of Western Angola (Civil Engineering)
- Eva Manuel, $3000 tuition, second year, Methodist University of Western Angola (Environmental, Urban and Rural Development)
- Tenderano Muzorewa, $5000 Scholarship, third year, Central Methodist University, Fayette, Missouri (Mathematics & Physics, Double Majors)
2010/2011:
- Marsa Chol Muan, $2700 tuition, third year, Africa University (Management & Administration)
- Domasia Mateus Dias, $5400 tuition, fourth year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Isabel Antonio Mota, $5400 tuition, fourth year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Francine Ilunga Mpanga $2700 tuition, third year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Petronella Chalwe, $2700 tuition, third year, Africa University (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- Isabel Claudith Tito, $2700 tuition, third year, Africa University (Management & Administration)
- Lastimosa Osorio, $3000 tuition, fourth year, Methodist University of Western Angola (Civil Engineering)
- Eva Manuel, $3000 tuition, fourth year, Methodist University of Western Angola (Environmental, Urban and Rural Development)
- Four additional students at Africa University, names to be determined.
