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The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Ltd., in collaboration with its Tier One Contractor, China Petroleum Pipeline (CPP), has formally launched a scholarship initiative to support exceptional but financially disadvantaged engineering students in Uganda.
The program will benefit 28 students from Makerere and Kyambogo Universities, offering them financial assistance to help them complete their studies.
Rigorous Selection and Investment in National Content
The selection process for the scholarships was both rigorous and transparent.
The students were chosen based on a careful evaluation of their academic achievements, demonstrated financial need, passion for the field of engineering, and a commitment to making a positive impact on their communities.
The program will benefit 28 students from Makerere and Kyambogo Universities
In a deliberate move to benefit those most directly affected by the project, priority was given to applicants from the ten districts along the pipeline's route, resulting in seven students from these areas receiving the scholarship awards.
According to Eileen Baguma, EACOP’s HR & Corporate Affairs Director, the program is a testament to the company's "continued investment in the future of Uganda’s engineering talent" and a recognition that they are not only building infrastructure but also creating lasting opportunities for young Ugandans.
A Broader Strategy for Capacity Building
The scholarship program is part of a larger, ongoing national content strategy by EACOP. This strategy includes extensive partnerships with a variety of professional bodies and academic institutions, such as the Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba (UPIK), Makerere and Kyambogo Universities, and the Institute of Surveyors of Uganda.
So far, EACOP and its contractors have provided training to 82 graduate trainees, and through their "Train the Trainer" initiative, have delivered over 532 hours of training to professors, lecturers, and technicians.
These efforts are designed to ensure that the project not only contributes to the country's infrastructure but also to sustainable knowledge transfer and long-term capacity building in both Uganda and Tanzania.