A short essay - of about 500 words in English - giving reasons for applying for the OFID scholarship

Hello,

I need some help with my scholarship essay. I got a graduate admission in Netherlands however am now searching for a scholarship. I managed to get one i can apply for, the essay is: A short essay - of about 500 words in English - giving reasons for applying for the OFID scholarship, explaining your educational goals, and clearly describing how you will use the experience gained from your Master's degree studies to help in the development of your home country.

My desire to engage in Social Change, to move Ugandan communities forward

Coming from Northern Uganda, a region ravaged by the Lord's Resistance Army decades-long conflict resulting in humanitarian crisis and wiped out hallmarks of a stable society. I am glad and feel blessed that I managed to beat all odds and emerge successful in my education career. Since I grew up in an environment full of development challenges and inequalities; I am committed to engaging in Social Change, justice and equity for sustainable development. I am convinced that understanding a community's concern in regards to poverty, inequality and social exclusion; and developing strategies and policies backed by society's own responses to social needs can be the force that drives us towards hope for sustainable development. I applied for a Masters in Development Studies, majoring in Social Policy for Development so that I can attain my mission.

My motivation towards this OFID scholarship is because I believe my career plans, morals and ethics aligns very well with the organization's mission and aim. The OFID works towards fostering South-South partnership with fellow developing countries worldwide with the aim of eradicating poverty. I also appreciate that the organization gives chance to less advantaged scholars to pursue their goals especially in education and professional careers. One of the OFID's focus areas is Education; Empowering through knowledge. I am therefore sure that the funding this scholarship provides will push me a step closer to achieving my life and career goals.

I come from a community ravaged by war effects, vulnerable with no social safety nets to cushion this, children left orphaned; if not abducted returnees, women and the elderly continuously wallowing in cycles of poverty, diseases and social exclusion. Many of these communities have been left with no hope for what tomorrow holds. My desire to engage in Social Change; to move Ugandan communities forward especially in the education sector, poverty- reduction towards achieving sustainable development intrigued my desire to study Social Work and Social Administration at Makerere University which I completed with an Honors. I took particular interest in general Social Work, Social Development and research which has further nurtured my desire to advance my education career with focus on Social Policy for Development. I chose to pursue a Masters of Development Studies, majoring in Social Policy for Development. The program will equip me with the professional and intellectual capacity to come up with improved analysis of societal responses to social need and as a result demand for social change to attain sustainable development. I envision becoming a Social Worker strengthened by extensive knowledge base provided by the program to realize this goal.

Empowering through knowledge with great focus on quality and quantity is a strong way of attaining our higher goal of eradicating poverty. The program equips me with the knowledge and focus on how social policy can be used to aid progressive transformation and sustainable, gender-aware, socially-just development. The ability to use theoretical concepts and ideas and apply them to daily life situations and needs will be resourceful in my target to carry out researches that can be used to advocate for better policies and strategies reform. The knowledge gained from the program and overall research experience will be used in extensive community work to bring about sustainable and lasting solutions to societal needs. It also creates a network of connections with the university and my country which creates a path for other scholars too. My time spent abroad will indulge me in a multi-cultural environment from which I can emulate great ideas of how social policy has worked in the European context and derive ways of how to moderate and integrate it in the African context.

I came up with this. Any help rendered will be useful; on the number of words, introduction and conclusion, and other information to add.

Thanks

Palma, it is imperative for your application that you manage to connect the ideals or objectives of OFID with your desire for higher study. Aside from the sponsorship based upon a masters degree related to the course offerings supported by the scholarship, what other strong reason do you have that can convince the scholarship committee that you will be an excellent candidate for the program? Your essay doesn't really explain anything that can convince them. What you wrote is all about your country and its trials and tribulations, with very little reference to yourself if at all.

In line with your educational goals, you must first inform the reader that you have the academic grades to match your application. Indicate the GPA of at least 3.0 in an overall 4.0 scale. Present your strongest college subjects in relation to your chosen major and explain how these subjects intertwine to create an interesting study plan or educational goal for yourself.

Rather than presenting such a complex but generic discussion of the problems in your country, concentrate on the problem that best relates to your chosen masters degree. For your educational plan, you can indicate an explanation as to how you plan to help resolve that particular issue upon graduation. Then explain how your studies in this field can help you achieve that goal. That way, you can clearly explain how your studies can help you to improve the situation in your country.

At the moment, your essay is nothing but a really rough draft that contains hits and misses in terms of delivering the necessary information for the consideration of your scholarship application. Try to refocus the essay using the suggestions I made above. You have a very interesting topic to discuss. It is all just a matter of proper discussion development on your part in order to increase your chances of winning this scholarship as the slots are highly limited for this particular scholarship program.