NEW: Former University of Zimbabwe lecturer assists underprivileged students

Fatima Bulla-Musakwa

THE University of Zimbabwe’s engineering department is witnessing the transformative impact of educational grants after a former lecturer, Dr Peter Ward, and his family committed to funding bright students from underprivileged backgrounds.

At least 12 students from the department have been supported by the Ward Engineering Science Trust (WEST) scholarship set up by Dr Ward and his family in 2019, in honour of their late mother Ms Monica Fiorini.

Six beneficiaries have already graduated with degrees in Mechanical, Civil and Electrical Engineering and are now employed.

The other six are studying.

Dr Ward said seeing the impact of the scholarship is gratifying.

“It’s extremely rewarding for me to be here to see the outstanding nature of the students,” he said. “The fact that six of them have excellent jobs already is extremely gratifying and I expect that in a year’s time, the other six will have excellent jobs, becoming leaders already in the country.”

Through WEST, the Ward family has also created mutually beneficial relations between the University of Zimbabwe and the University of British Columbia (Canada).

WEST is funded by Ms Fiorini’s estate which was donated to the trust by her sons Dr Ward and his brother Michael.

The two were students at the University of Zimbabwe thus they developed an affinity for the institution.

Dr Ward and his wife Dr Rabab would later become lecturers at the University of Zimbabwe.

The Ward family, who are now based in Canada, returned to Zimbabwe on Tuesday for an emotional meeting with beneficiaries of the scholarship.

Of the 12 beneficiaries, five are female.