Excited parents thronged the local airport in the commercial city of Ndola to see off 15 students sponsored by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to study at a top India university.

Cheers and excitement from the parents and other relations filled the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport as the students boarded their aircraft on 27th June 2014 for India to begin their career development at the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT).

“This is a success in the family… I am a retiree and I cannot afford to sponsor my child in university. I thank the KCM management for sponsoring my son to study outside the country,” said Ilack Mumba, whose son Dalitso has enrolled in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

Some of the 15 students will study chemical and electrical engineering and instrumentation after they were awarded the annual KCM scholarships for students scoring higher grades at the company’s two schools, which enroll over 2,000 students.

Davies Mukabe, whose daughter Bainess will also study Electrical and Electronics Engineering, said the KCM scholarship would position the children to return home as competent professionals ready to contribute to the development of the mining industry and Zambia’s economy.

“I have looked at other mining companies and can speak proudly that KCM is the only company that has taken it upon itself to sponsor children to universities outside this country,” Mr Mukabe said.

Mr Davidson Mibenge said the parents and children were proud of KCM.

The students were initially sponsored to study A’ levels at a top Zambian school and the top of class Bainess and Sam Kunda, both of whom will study Electrical and Electronics Engineering said they desired to excel during their study.

“I’m grateful to KCM for sponsoring me to go and study in India. I will do my best to make the company and country proud by working even harder during my stay in India,” Bainess Mukabe said.

Kunda said: “It’s a heavy load lifted off the back of my parents because the scholarship has enabled them to sponsor my siblings instead, it’s a big relief. We are thankful to KCM management for allowing us to study abroad. We will work hard and stay focused.”