The Finlay’s Community Trust has awarded Ksh. 8.7 million full Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) scholarships to 40 students from humble backgrounds from Bomet and Kericho Counties.
Twenty students from Bomet will enrol in Konoin TTI, while the other 20 will be drawn from Kericho County and join Belgut TTI.
Each student will receive full tuition support to pursue technical courses at Belgut and Konoin Technical Training Institutes, along with a start-up toolkit worth KSh 50,000 upon graduation. The total investment in this year’s scholarships amounts to KSh 8.7 million.
Speaking during the event, a trustee of the soon-to-be-renamed Finlay’s Community Trust Board, Ambassador Joshua Terer, who represented the Chairperson, Bishop Alfred Rotich, reaffirmed the Trust’s vision of education as the bedrock of sustainable community development.
“This marks the second year of our TVET Scholarship Programme, and we are delighted to continue this journey of empowerment and transformation. We believe that this initiative will play a crucial role in shaping the future of our communities. By investing in education, we are laying the foundation for a prosperous and skilled workforce capable of driving Kenya’s industrial and economic growth.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Browns Plantations Kenya Mr. Dushanth Ratwatte said the cholarship marked a major milestone the company’s commitment to skills development and educational empowerment.
He said the scholarship programme went beyond tuition support, as, through a strategic partnership with Browns Plantations Kenya, graduates will access industrial attachments and job placement opportunities to enhance their hands-on experience and marketability.
Mr. Sammy Kirui who is the General Manager in the Company said that as a show of continued support for the TVET sector, Finlays Community Trust had constructed modern workshops and training facilities at Chepseon Youth Polytechnic and Sot Technical Training Institute, helping create conducive environments for hands-on learning.
“The Trust has also invested over KSh 317 million in 79 education infrastructure projects in Bomet and Kericho counties, including classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, libraries, and modern TVET workshops,”he added.
Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, Principal Secretary for TVET Education, commended the Trust for its focused investments in youth development.
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“I wholeheartedly commend this remarkable achievement, which reflects a steadfast commitment to educational empowerment and stands as an initiative worthy of national recognition,” said Dr. Muoria.
“The TVET scholarship programme not only supports access to skills training but also plays a critical role in addressing poverty, inequality, and unemployment in our rural communities.”
Dr. Bernard Isalambo a Director of CBET assured parents and trainees that the modularization of units was proceeding smoothly and added, “ I want to tell you that in the TVET space there was no losers, all are winners. With TVET training you can never go wrong- built on your area and you will change your future.”
While supporting the initiative by Browns Plantations, the director encouraged to expand the programme to take in more students from the surrounding community.
The Principal’s from the two beneficiary institutions Messrs. Bernard Korir from Belgut TTI and his counterpart from Konoin TTI Mr. Wesley Sigei expressed profound gratitude for the programme which they said was very impactful to the local communities.
Mr. Korir thanked the company for sponsoring the 20 trainees in Belgut TTI saying the initiative was life changing for the individuals and their families.
The Konoin Principal assured the company that the technical colleges were gearing to be in the forefront in coming up with solutions to the challenges faced by the tea industry, one of which was, “the development of production of spare parts for the plucking machines.’
Since its inception in 2021, Finlays Community Trust has steadily expanded its scholarship portfolio to benefit learners across all levels, from secondary to postgraduate studies. To date, the Trust has awarded scholarships to 586 secondary school students, 80 TVET students (including the current cohort), 428 undergraduate students, and 25 graduate students, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to over 1,100.
In 2023, the Trust also launched a student mentorship programme that has since reached over 11,000 learners across 11 schools, equipping them with critical soft skills and guidance for life after school.
By Benedicto Ngetich
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