Westpac Solomon Islands on Wednesday announced the names of the six successful applicants of the Westpac Women’s Education Grants.
The program offered financial assistance to primary school, high school or secondary college girls and women studying at a tertiary institution or women currently working who wish to return to study.
Westpac has sincerely congratulated the following grant winners:-
• Primary: $SBD1,000 each
Sherin Hamutagi and Makereta Seru
• Secondary: $SBD3,850 each
Lindra Vagha and Shaboni Koebule
• Tertiary: $SBD6,500 each
Carina Laka and Freda Kofana
The six worthy winners stood out for their thoughtful and well written answers to the question: “If you could advise the Prime Minister on meeting the three most important needs of women and girls, what would these be, and why.”
Their submissions referenced critical issues as far reaching as healthcare, ending violence against women and ensuring that all women and girls gain the education they so richly deserve.
This year saw a mixture of applications from within and outside of Honiara and a fair distribution from very young in primary school, to adults in tertiary education.
Both Primary and Secondary category winners also received a Westpac backpack and certificate, while the Tertiary winners also received individual compendiums to use.
This is the fifth time Westpac has offered grants in the Solomon Islands, with a total of 44 grants having been made available across the Pacific region to date.
“Since we began our women’s grant program three years ago, more than 250 women and girls across the region have been able to stay at school longer through the financial assistance Westpac provides,” said Kutila Pinto, Country Head, Westpac Solomon Islands.
“These grants underline Westpac’s commitment to empowering through education throughout the Pacific. Studies show time and time again that the greater the education of women and the more they participate in the economy, the more dynamic and more growth is experienced in that country. So helping women and girls to fulfil their potential is worthwhile not only for our recipients, but for the country as a whole.”
“Congratulations to our successful applicants and thank you to everyone who applied for a grant. We truly hope we’re making a difference to the successful women and girls who receive a grant and of course, to the development of our country too,” said Mr Pinto.
Westpac’s Pacific operations cover the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. There are more than 50 Westpac branches and agencies, hundreds of In-store Banking outlets and 100 ATMs throughout the Pacific.
