Two young South Africans from local schools have been named as the country’s newest Nsouli Scholars following a record year for the global scholarship programme.

Lethabo Bosoga has been accepted at Reddford House Blue Hills and Mihle Radebe at Reddam House Waterfall. They are among 12 young people globally awarded fully funded Nsouli scholarships for the 2026/27 cohort and will join their respective South African schools in 2027.

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Applications from sub-Saharan Africa have increased by 574% since the programme launched. Inspired Education received 1 428 applications from 95 nationalities this year, up 353% since the programme launched in 2024.

Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the strongest growth, with applications rising from 128 in the inaugural year to 863 this year – 60% of all applications globally.

The Nsouli Scholars Programme, founded by Nadim Nsouli, chairperson and CEO of Inspired Education, provides fully funded places to exceptional young people who demonstrate financial need alongside outstanding academic ability, leadership potential or excellence in sport or the arts.

Commenting on the growth of the programme, Nsouli said: “We have seen increasing numbers of applications from Africa and the Middle East, where ambitious young people are seeking opportunities to fulfil their potential and make a positive contribution to their communities. The remarkable growth in applications reflects the aspirations of young people and families who recognise the transformative power of education.”

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Ravi Nadasen, CEO of Inspired Africa, said selecting Lethabo and Mihle brings that global story home.

“Talent is everywhere; opportunity is not always. The extraordinary growth in applications from sub-Saharan Africa is a powerful reminder of the ambition and potential of young people across our region, and of what can happen when that potential is met with genuine opportunity,” said Nadasen.

“I am immensely proud to welcome Lethabo and Mihle as Nsouli Scholars. This is a remarkable achievement, and I hope they embrace everything the experience offers, make it their own and, in time, inspire other young people to believe in what is possible for them too.”

For another South African scholar who joined the programme this year, the experience offers a glimpse of what awaits the newest recipients. Zumnandi Mofomme, a Grade 10 boarder at Reddam House Helderfontein, admitted she initially worried about finding her place at a new school, “but I was welcomed with open arms from the beginning,” she said.

School camp helped Zumnandi form friendships with her classmates, while boarding has been very different from what she expected.

“Boarding school has felt more like a family than a system. Although I expected it to be highly structured and strict, I have found a strong sense of community and formed friendships that make boarding feel like a second home.”

For Lethabo and Mihle, that journey begins in 2027.

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