As part of its 45th anniversary, Staatsolie announced Tuesday the establishment of the "45 Years of Staatsolie Scholarship Fund. With this milestone, the oil company wants to make a concrete contribution to equal educational opportunities for Surinamese youth. Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, 45 scholarships will be awarded to promising students from all districts, with special attention to students from financially vulnerable families.
While signing the partnership with the National Development Bank (NOB), Rekha Bissumbhar, Director Upstream of State Oil, stressed the importance of mutual trust: "We are confident that these students will make the most of this unique opportunity. Therefore, we hope that they also believe in themselves and get started with enthusiasm." The scholarships fully funded by Staatsolie cover tuition, study materials and other necessary expenses. The condition is that recipients complete their studies with satisfactory results; repayment is not an issue.
Specifically, ten scholarships each are set aside for the districts of Brokopondo and Sipaliwini; the remaining 25 are distributed among the remaining regions. Through the NOB, students will also receive insight into additional loan and tutoring opportunities. Sandy Cameron, CEO of the NOB, called the fund a logical addition to the bank's mission: "Human capital development is our central focus. Together with Staatsolie, this gives young people without financial resources a fair chance for personal and professional success."
Interested parties can apply until Aug. 5; selection will follow a transparent and objective process. Promotional materials will appear in schools as well as on the websites of Staatsolie and NOB. Staatsolie sees the fund not only as an anniversary gift, but as a sustainable investment in human resources.
