Ol Pejeta Conservancy has launched a fundraising drive targeting Ksh20 million through a charity golf tournament to support scholarships for more than 300 bright and needy students in Laikipia County.
The two-day tournament held at Nanyuki Sports Club over the weekend attracted seasoned and emerging golfers, with proceeds earmarked for education programmes benefiting vulnerable learners living around the conservancy.
Speaking during the event, Ol Pejeta Community Manager in charge of Education, Kelvin Gitau, said the initiative seeks to expand scholarship opportunities and improve access to quality education.
“The golf tournament will focus on ensuring funding for more scholarships because we believe education has a lasting impact for our schools,” said Gitau.
He noted that the funds raised would also help address infrastructure challenges facing schools surrounding the conservancy, many of which lack adequate learning facilities.
“We work with schools around the Ol Pejeta conservancy zone; most of the schools are wooden, and the students lack a conducive learning environment due to poor weather conditions. We hope to construct classrooms and provide better learning,” he said.
Gitau revealed that the conservancy currently supports about 60 schools through scholarships, infrastructure development, conservation education programmes and other educational initiatives.
He added that 55 schools are benefiting from digital literacy programmes aimed at equipping learners with technological skills.
According to Gitau, most of this year’s scholarship beneficiaries are expected to be Grade 10 students.
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He said the conservancy’s education programme has previously supported 411 students through scholarship opportunities.
“This is our second edition after last year’s, which was celebrating Ol Pejeta at 20 years, and this year we devised it by focusing on promoting our education programmes through golf tournaments,” he said.
Gitau emphasized that the initiative forms part of the conservancy’s broader commitment to improving education and promoting conservation awareness among communities living adjacent to protected wildlife areas.
“We understand that people who live around the conservancy experience economic hardship and we have seen students who have not joined Grade 8. It is quite disturbing. We are trying to ensure all our students in our community who qualify to join good schools do not miss the opportunity due to lack of funds,” he said.
The fundraising drive is expected to boost educational access and improve learning conditions for vulnerable students across Laikipia County.
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