Education Support and Bursaries
The Education Support and Bursaries program helps bright but needy children and youth in Matulo, Misikhu, Bokoli, and Sitikho wards stay in school and reach their potential. The Foundation works closely with head teachers, village elders, and parents to identify students who are at risk of dropping out due to poverty. Priority is given to orphans, single-parent households, and families affected by disability or illness.
Key support provided includes covering school fees, exam fees, and purchase of uniforms and textbooks. For primary and secondary students, the program offers full or partial scholarships that pay for term fees, uniforms, shoes, and supplies like exercise books and pens. Younger children receive school kits in January that include socks, notebooks, pens, and sanitary pads for girls, helping them start each term prepared. The Foundation also sponsors learners entering high school for the first time, covering the national exam fees and assisting with accommodation if needed. In some cases, top graduates receive conditional support to attend vocational training or college.
Beyond fees, the Foundation is planning to introduce mentoring and academic support and organize career talks and science fairs so youth can explore careers beyond their parents’ trades. Plans are also underway to pair scholarships with regular check-ins, whereby program staff will meet with families and school officials to ensure children attend regularly and perform to their ability.
This approach – scholarships combined with mentorship – is modeled on successful educational programs in Kenya. It emphasizes community involvement: local elders and teachers nominate candidates, and beneficiaries often form study groups together.
By ensuring that poverty does not block learning, the program helps hundreds of youth complete each school year. Over time, this investment raises literacy and skills in the constituency, enabling a new generation to pursue careers and lift their families out of poverty.