The award of scholarships to deprived students started in Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Ekpeyak Ikono in 1988 – called Ikot Ekpeyak Scholarship Foundation. Two years later, the program was extended to include Ikono Ibom Comprehensive Secondary School and any qualifying student from Ikot Ekpeyak, Ikono.
We have made an average of twenty scholarship awards every year since 1999
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We are a not-for-profit scholarship foundation registered in the State of New York. Our objective is to educate
the deprived, but bright students of Akwa Ibom State. We strive to accomplish our mission by funding the
education of deprived Akwa Ibom State students in secondary schools and universities. We are made up of
concerned persons dedicated to advancing the education of academically bright and talented students, who
may not have made it through school without our financial assistance. The recipients of our awards must meet
both conditions. Our application is open only to candidates who are above average academically- preferably at
the top of their level and whose sources of financing their education are not available.
The director and inaugurator of the Foundation is Obong Dr. Clement Usoroh. The founding directors of the foundation include Chief Usua Amanam –chairman 2000 to 2004, Obong Offiong S. Udo (deceased), Dr. Ukeme Umana and US Navy Chief Kufre Usanga. Other supporters in the US are; Dr. Ededet Udo, Mr. Ime Akpan, Mr. Eno Udo, Dr. Uko Okpok, Dr. Godwin Umoh, Ms. Ubong Atta Umana, Dr. E. Inyang. Mrs. EdoAbasi Usoroh. Supporting the program morally and financially from Nigeria are Chairman Essien Nkanga and Air Vice Marshall Stanley Usoro, Godwin David, Mrs Alice Ivy Esin, Elder T. R. Akpana and Edidem Edem S. Akpan (Paramount Ruler of Uyo).
The award of scholarships to deprived students started in Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Ekpeyak Ikono in 1988 – called Ikot Ekpeyak Scholarship Foundation. Two years later, the program was extended to include Ikono Ibom Comprehensive Secondary School and any qualifying student from Ikot Ekpeyak, Ikono. Since we did not get the candidates we were looking for, we made the program available to all Ikono students in 1998. We also changed the name to Ikono Scholarship Foundation. The change in the name was to reflect the area we served. At that time, we started to get help from the Ministry of Education in the area of advertisement, recruitment and collection of application forms.In year 2000, during Ikono Day, a scholarship Foundation was proposed for Ikono with a name similar to what we were using. To avoid duplication and to give Ikono the right to use the name, we changed our name to Mary Amanam Scholarship Foundation Incorporated. Mary Amanam (deceased) was the wife of Chief Usua Amanam. Mary was an innovative Akwa Ibom mother, an inventor and a world recognized chemist who left a lasting legacy in her efforts to improve the health of the world. The honor was in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the area of medicine. We also named the husband Chief Usua Amanam to the position of Chairman- a post he held until 2004. In order to give a tax-deductable credits to contributors, we registered the organization under Mary Amanam Schorlarship Foundation INC in 1999 In 2004, there was a need for a more generic name, as we continue to expand. It was apparent that we should associate with a name, which reflect more on what we aspire for. We recommended our new name to the New York State Board Of Education and got an approval for our current name-DEPRIVED BRIGHT STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION INC. (DBSSFI).
We have made an average of twenty scholarship awards every year since 1999. Currently, we limit our funding to students in secondary schools Technology or Technical schools and universities. Our funding is not limited to schools in Akwa Ibom State. We grant awards to students admitted to any recognized universities in Nigeria and the United States of America. Deprived Bright Students Scholarship Foundation Inc. gives out its award once a year –usually during the second week in August. The award ceremony is usually held at the State Library Head quarters at Uyo. Application for the DBSSFI award is available to qualified students at the Scholarship Division of the Ministry of Education, Uyo. Completed application must reach the office before May 31st. Renewal candidates usually receive their renewal application form at the award ceremony. Their renewal application is due at the office of the Ministry of Education before April 30th.. Application forms may also be obtained from the foundation's headquarters. Plans are on the way to make it available on the Internet. A panel, set up for the purpose, carries out the final selection of candidates, for the scholarship awards. Currently, the application, and the required essay are very important in making the final selections. We hope that in the near future, all qualified candidates, will be tested before making the final selections.