Kakamega Scholarship Beneficiaries Encouraged to Achieve ExcellenceKiru Ward Sponsors 84 Youths for Technical Training Courses

Kakamega: Recipients of the Elimu Scholarship in Kakamega County have been urged to capitalize on this significant opportunity to excel academically and contribute positively to their communities in the future. This call was made during a gathering where students and their parents received scholarship kits.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Western Regional Coordinator of the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF), the selected students were part of an exclusive group chosen from over 3,600 applicants across Kakamega County. Matoke highlighted that despite many deserving applicants, the foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, could only allocate 459 slots for Kakamega, focusing on the most vulnerable and needy students.

The event took place at the Western Regional Commissioners’ compound, where students and parents collected their scholarship kits. These kits include stationery and personal items designed to support the students throughout their four years of secondary education. Parents expressed gratitude to the government for providing their children with the means to pursue uninterrupted education and realize their dreams.

The beneficiaries, embarking on a transformative educational journey, pledged to leverage this opportunity to improve their academic performance. Zebedeo Matoke noted the selection committee’s decision to award scholarships to a gender-balanced group, with 55% girls and 45% boys. He detailed the distribution of the beneficiaries across the county: 13 from Kakamega North Sub County, 58 from Kakamega Central, 41 from Kakamega East, 24 from Kakamega South, 33 from Butere, 25 from Khwisero, 27 from Mumias East, and 30 from Mumias West. Additionally, 37 beneficiaries were from Likuyani, 41 from Matungu, 38 from Navakholo, 28 from Lugari, 18 from Ikolomani, and 46 from the county at large, reflecting the population of Kakamega County.

Kiru: Kiru Ward has launched a significant initiative to sponsor 84 local youths for technical training courses, utilizing the Ward Development Fund. This educational endeavor is aimed at equipping young people with vital skills for employment in various technical fields.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), these youths were part of the first cohort recruited into the Murang’a Youth Service last year and participated in community activities for two months. Thuku, speaking at Mananga Primary School, explained that the selected individuals would only need to contribute Sh. 2,000 per month, with the remainder of the expenses covered by the Fund.

The youths are set to join Wanjohi Vocational Training Centre, where they will engage in courses such as tilling, painting, hairdressing and beauty, plumbing, welding, and electrical installation. Thuku, who also serves as the local County Assembly Chief Whip, praised the Murang’a Youth Programme, initiated by Governor Irungu Kang’ata’s administration. He noted its positive impact, including a decrease in alcoholism and drug abuse among some youth.

The Murang’a Youth Service, launched in October of the previous year, initially enlisted 1,050 young individuals who contributed to maintaining cleanliness across the county’s 144 trading centers. Thuku highlighted the program’s recent expansion, with a second cohort of 1,050 youths recruited two weeks ago, allocating 30 individuals per Ward. He emphasized that these youths receive a daily wage of Sh. 500, paid by the County Government, for their community work.

In addition to this technical training initiative, Thuku mentioned collaboration with other local leaders to address educational challenges in Kiru and neighboring areas. This includes ensuring that all candidates who sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) last year are enrolled in secondary schools. Despite some learners facing various challenges in joining secondary schools, Thuku reported that their concerted efforts have already resulted in at least four students being admitted to secondary schools.