Eight students from the University of Rwanda’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences were yesterday announced as beneficiaries of a new scholarship programme.

The scholarships were awarded by CKD Kochon Foundation run by the South Korea based pharmaceutical company.

The programme targets continuing highly performing but financially challenged students.

They will continue their studies at the University of Rwanda.

"To qualify, one should not only be financially challenged but an excellent  performer  as well, with an average of 75 per cent from six or eight modules in the previous academic year,” said Patrick Kyamanywa,  the Dean of School of Medicine and Pharmacy.

The students, who are at various levels of the six-year medical programme, will each receive a scholarship package of $1,000 annually.

Young Moo Lee, the general director of the foundation, said Rwanda’s ability to attain an average of six per cent economic growth rate annually since 2000, despite a recent troubled past, motivated them to join in the country’s reconstruction process, hence the scholarship programme.

He also noted that the development cemented the two countries’ diplomatic ties that date back to 1963.

Rwanda joins Vietnam as the only countries outside South Korea benefiting from the scholarship programme.

Dieudonne Duhorane, a level five student and one of the beneficiaries, commended the support, saying it would help reduce the financial burden on them.