Takatuf KR-Eshraqa Scholar Ready for Stanford University

Muscat, Oman: Building on its premise of a stronger, advanced nation, Eshraqa, the social development arm of Khimji Ramdas has given shape to the Takatuf Scholarship programme for deserving Omani youth since 2016. With financial assistance towards six years of overseas education; the educative initiative, over the years, has changed lives while influencing more students to achieve their aspirations. The Takatuf Scholarship Programme, a unit within Takatuf Oman, has awarded various prestigious international scholarships to attend leading boarding schools and universities in the USA, UK, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan.

Emerging from Eshraqa’s robust Education pillar – a part of its four foundation pillars – Education, Health, Community Wellbeing and Training, the Eshraqa Takatuf Scholarship has certainly proved its mettle for 18 year old Rashid Al Abri from Buraimi. He was one of the two scholars embraced by Eshraqa, Khimji Ramdas Social Development Arm on their six year journey. The other academic being Narjis Al Dhuhli from Rustaq;  both have gone on to complete the first two years of high school education at St. Michaels University School, Canada.

A promising student, Rashid was a Takatuf aspirant through the summer programme and was selected based on merit to undergo further interviews with notable officials from major companies in Oman. After soaring through the selection process, Rashid received guidance and mentoring from Takatuf and Eshraqa to choose the best possible institution to match his skills and interests. He went on to pick the St. Michaels University School in Canada to complete high school. Eshraqa is proud to announce that Rashid Al Abri has obtained admittance in an Ivy League college in the United States of America – The Stanford University for the next four years.

At high school, Rashid’s talent burgeoned through his training, learning and extra-curricular activities. As a mature international student, he went on to blossom into a budding poet while staying on track with his tutoring. Inspired by the support and networking opportunities at school, Rashid went on to found the Hack Club, an IT coding and programming society at school and is now an ethical hacker. This led to him participating and winning the Oman Threat Hunters Competition recently, a cyber-security and ethical thinking challenge held in the Sultanate.

Graduating from high school with flying colours, Rashid had a world of opportunities ahead of him. With careful deliberation, Rashid picked Stanford University to further flourish and pursue his dreams. 

Commenting on the path paved by the funding through Eshraqa and his dedication, Rashid described his overall experience as an opportunity of a lifetime. He said, “I feel blessed and I am grateful to Eshraqa for funding my dreams. Completing high school at the St. Michaels University School has been an absolute delight and I am looking forward to the next 4 years at Stanford. Takatuf and Eshraqa has been a guiding force since day one, with assistance on every aspect of my student life.”

For the future, Rashid has set his sights on the ever-growing world of Information Technology and plans to graduate within the stream. With significant achievements within the IT world under his belt, Rashid is set to begin at Stanford later this year. Describing his future roadmap, Rashid asserts a return to the Sultanate. He said, “After receiving in abundance from Eshraqa’s Takaful Scholarship Programme, I am deeply moved to give back to our beloved country. I hope to be an entrepreneur in Oman and influence youth to set their objective bar high and stop at nothing to achieve it.”

Designed to prepare Oman’s most talented young people for personal and professional success and a fast track to participating in achieving the Sultanate’s goals, the programme introduces the candidates to the skills and abilities required for success in learning as well as in the ever-changing global marketplace.

Rashid Al Abri offered constructive advice to hopeful applicants, he said, “Takatuf is a comprehensive programme that sharpens your horizons. Recognise and know your potential so you can achieve your dreams and reflect profoundly on your choices before you commit to them.”

Commenting on his achievement, Nailesh Khimji, Director, Khimji Ramdas, said, “We are extremely proud of Rashid Al Abri and his many achievements through the last two years. We look forward to what the next four years at the respected Stanford University will bring forth. We ask the youth of Oman to look toward Rashid for inspiration and motivation to work hard and excel at everything they do. At Eshraqa, we consider an educated society to be the mainstay that drives growth in any progressive society. With Omani youth geared to take on leadership roles, our primary objective is to provide them with a platform for learning. The Takatuf Scholarship Programme accelerates development by equipping students with effective life skills, which will in turn fuel progress within the Sultanate.”

The Takatuf Scholarship programme was crafted to support educational goals of endowed Omani youth and to prepare them for leadership roles. The scholarship is open to all students across the Sultanate.

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© Press Release 2019