Student Scholarships: DR Congo and Papua New Guinea

2 Background and progress

Why we fund scholarships

Water systems last when local people can run, repair and improve them. In Goma and the Eastern Highlands, capable students often cannot afford tuition, and many must work to support their families. A scholarship that pays only tuition often is not enough; the living allowance lets the student study full time.

The idea came from our partners. Philip Wayaki Bongi, who leads our PNG work, attended university because donors paid his tuition when he had no money. That education led to his career in monitoring and evaluation and to the water project he started for his community.

How the program runs

In DR Congo, PALPER recruits applicants, manages payments to students, hosts internships and tracks progress. In Papua New Guinea, PNG Safe Water checks on each student in person and hosts their internships. CWH sets the rules, runs the review panel, raises the money and provides mentors. PALPER collected applications on KoboToolbox (in French) and on paper; the same form, in English, was used in Papua New Guinea.

Selection

• DR Congo: at least 70% on the national state exam.
• A field that builds water or health expertise.
• Scored by a panel of volunteer reviewers; rankings averaged.
• All DR Congo candidates and PALPER checked against international sanctions lists.
• Sharing a student’s name, photo or story is optional and never a condition of the award.

The DR Congo students

Lareine Awezaye, Chantal Baraka, Faustin Bahati and Bienvenu Mwiseneza study civil engineering at the College of Science and Technology of Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs. They begin with a preparatory year, choose their major next year, and finish in four years with a Licence, the degree that qualifies them to work as civil engineers. Ruphin Biragi is in his second year of biomedical sciences at the College of Health Sciences, with three years to go, including this one. First names are shared with each student’s written permission.

The Papua New Guinea students

PNG Safe Water ran the call in the Eastern Highlands, where Clean Water Help already works on safe water, and 15 students applied. The five shortlisted are Karo Kamave and Nathan Oronave in civil engineering at the PNG University of Technology, Muka Gore and Timothy Olo in community health worker training, and Petrus Kisai in a master’s degree in research methods. PNG Safe Water will check on each student in person and host their internships. Fees depend on the program, government subsidies and housing, and generally run $1,500 to $2,000 a year; Clean Water Help pays any amount above the sponsorship.

Timeline

• Feb 25, 2026PNG scholarship idea proposed by Philip Wayaki Bongi.
• Apr 15, 2026Mentoring and scholarship program announced to volunteers.
• May 20, 2026Multilingual application form launched.
• Jun 8–15, 202633 applications from Goma collected with PALPER.
• Jun 19, 2026Award set at $1,500 per year after a cost analysis.
• Jul 6, 2026Applicants ranked by the volunteer panel.
• Jul 15–23, 2026Agreements and student guide drafted; sanctions screening completed.
• Aug 19, 2026Scholarships awarded.
• Aug 28–Sep 3, 2026Students and PALPER sign agreements.
• Late Aug 2026Universities in Goma and Bukavu suspended for 2026–27.
• Sep 21, 2026University admission terms received; CWH commits to fund the five students there.
• Sep 22, 2026All five DR Congo students sponsored.
• Oct 2026Five PNG students shortlisted from 15 applicants.
• Oct 26, 2026Classes start at Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs.
• Feb 2027Classes start in Papua New Guinea.

3 Technical foundation

What the award pays for (DR Congo)

Payment schedule

1. $600 once the university accepts the student. CWH may pay the registration fee directly to the university and give the student the rest.
2. The remaining $900 of the year in later installments through PALPER.
3. The January installment requires a passed first semester and regular contact with PALPER.

Clean Water Help pays PALPER $1,000 a year to manage the program in person, from registration and school supplies to payments, tracking and reporting.

Safeguards

• Written agreements with each student and with PALPER (governing law: North Carolina).
• PALPER has adopted written policies on child protection, anti-fraud and corruption, data protection and conflicts of interest.
• Funds are released in installments against evidence, not in one lump sum.
• Student data stays private; only first names and approved photos are shared.

Decisions and the options we set aside

Risks and how we respond

4 What we learned and what is still open

• The living allowance is the scholarship. Tuition alone does not keep students in school when families depend on their income.
• Have a plan B. The university switch took less than a month because PALPER already had the relationships in Goma.
• Consent first. Asking students separately whether their story can be shared built trust and kept the program simple.

Open questions

• How can we fund each student through graduation (four years for most of our DR Congo students)?
• How many of the five PNG students can start in February 2027, and how will payments run through PNG Safe Water?

5 How you can help

References and sources

1. Clean Water Help. CWH–PALPER Grant Agreement, CWH Scholarship Agreement and Student Scholarship Guide (English and French), August 2026.
2. Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs. Fee table and admission instructions for Civil Engineering and Public Health, September 21, 2026.
3. SOS Médias Burundi. “DRC: Kinshasa closes universities in Goma and Bukavu,” August 29, 2026. sosmediasburundi.org
4. Clean Water Help and PNG Safe Water. PNG scholarship applications and student profiles, October 2026.
5. Clean Water Help board approvals, July 20, 2026.