Thousands of needy students from Kericho and Bomet counties risk dropping out of school following the suspension of the annual multimillion scholarship awards by multinational tea companies.
Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA) Chairman Silas J. Njibwakale said none of the companies affected will be able go out and identify the needy students for assistance due to the high insecurity in the regions.
In 2022, the Finlays Community Trust awarded 30 students scholarships through the Swire Masters Scholarship and the Undergraduate Degree Scholarship programs.
The Trust’s Chair Bishop Alfred Rotich said under the trust’s education pillar, they have invested Ksh10.7 million in undergraduate scholarships and provided inclusive opportunities to students to undertake their studies at a university of their choice in the United Kingdom (UK).
“We have also invested over Ksh45 million to educate 56 undergraduate students and Ksh4 million in secondary school scholarships,” he said.
The Swire Masters Scholarship, which is funded by Swire Group and administered by the Trust, was inspired by the need to provide beneficiaries with unique technical and soft skills that will allow them to compete in both the local and global labour markets.
James Finlay (K) Limited Managing Director and Patron of the Trust Simeon Hutchinson noted that the trust’s investment in young people through scholarships and infrastructural projects is key in setting up young people for success.
Finlays Community Trust was officially launched in 2021 as an independent charitable trust to replace Finlays Charitable Trust.
The Trust aims to empower communities and nurture sustainable growth in Kericho and Bomet counties. To achieve this, the Trust has been guided by its mission to create sustainable, long-term impact by supporting a variety of projects and initiatives across the strategic pillars of education, infrastructure, and health and disaster relief.
By Benedict Ngetich
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