MOMBASA – In a significant boost to education in Mombasa County, 20 needy students who excelled in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) have been awarded scholarships totaling Sh5 million by Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). This initiative is set to cover their entire secondary education, providing much-needed support for their academic pursuits.
According to Kenya News Agency, the scholarship program, established in 2005, is dedicated to assisting bright but vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged students. The program notably supports girls rescued from early marriages, teenage mothers, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) champions, sports-talented students, and boys from regions prone to cattle rustling. Since its inception, the program has shown substantial growth, increasing its beneficiaries from 54 between 2005 and 2011 to stabilizing at 200 scholarships annually.
The selection criteria for the scholarships include attendance at a public primary school, meeting the county’s cut-off points, and coming from a needy household. Special categories, such as teen moms, FGM champions, and gifted students, have tailored cut-off marks, with a referral from local authorities being a crucial part of the selection process. The comprehensive scholarship package covers tuition fees for four years, educational materials such as books and uniforms, and includes a mandatory mentorship program for personalized guidance and support.
Collins Obiero, KCB Kilindini Branch Manager, emphasized the bank’s commitment to impacting the lives of students in the education sector. “As a bank, we will assist the 20 students throughout their secondary studies,” Obiero stated during an event at the Royal Castle in Mombasa.
Marking the 17th anniversary of the scholarship program, KCB received over 12,000 applications this year, with selections based on KCPE results and the level of need. Beneficiary Tabitha Michelle Mboya, aspiring to become a medical doctor, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to join Moi Girls Secondary in Nairobi.
Parents of the beneficiaries also expressed their appreciation, acknowledging the critical role the scholarship will play in their children’s futures. “I am grateful for the opportunity that my daughter has been given by KCB as I had no means, but now all her secondary studies will be fully covered by KCB,” said Tom Mboya, a parent of one of the beneficiaries.
Susan Auko, KCB Kisauni Branch Manager, highlighted the importance of personal effort over school choice in achieving academic success. Additionally, Joseph Owino, an alumnus of the KCB foundation program, shared his gratitude for the support he received, which contributed to his impressive A- at Ribe High School.
Mombasa County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Jayzan Faruk, acknowledged KCB’s strategic partnership with the County Government in promoting education, recognizing the bank as a key partner in the educational development of the region.
ELDORET – Uasin Gishu County Governor Dr. Jonathan Chelilim has praised the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund, describing it as transformative for the county’s coffee farmers. During a sensitization forum in Eldoret, Governor Chelilim emphasized that the fund would significantly enhance access to necessary inputs, thereby boosting coffee production.
According to Kenya News Agency, the forum served as a critical platform for collaboration among various actors in the coffee value chain, including farmers, policymakers, financial institutions, marketers, and industry stakeholders. “This event is essential as it allows our farmers, both current and prospective, to discuss the operationalization of the coffee cherry advance revolving fund for their benefit,” he stated.
The governor acknowledged the significant role of the coffee industry in driving the county’s economy and contributing to agricultural growth and rural development. With Uasin Gishu County recognized as a key coffee-growing region, Chelilim reiterated the administration’s commitment to supporting farmers in this sub-sector.
Dr. Chelilim also highlighted the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs’ establishment of the Fund, assuring farmers of enhanced productivity and improved quality of their produce as a result. “Accessing credit and financing has long been a challenge for many of our farmers, and this fund aims to address that by providing cherry advances,” he explained.
In addition to financial support, the governor’s administration has actively engaged in farmer training in collaboration with various stakeholders to address local and global challenges in the coffee sector. Despite challenges such as lack of robust policies, legal frameworks, and climate change issues, Dr. Chelilim emphasized the importance of diversifying from low-value rain-fed agriculture to high-value crops under supplementary irrigation.
Significant progress has been made in the county’s coffee sub-sector, including an increase in acreage under coffee cultivation from 83 acres to 1,451 acres over eight years. The administration has also supported farmers with a 4-acre coffee nursery at ATC Chebororwa, provided 28 motorized coffee pulpers, and installed a one-tonne-per-hour capacity Eco-Pulper machine at Turbo Coffee Farmers’ Co-operative Society.
Looking ahead, the county government plans to expand coffee production by facilitating access to certified seedlings, farm inputs, extension services, and intensive irrigation. This will be complemented by adopting the National Coffee policy, associated regulations, and establishing one million coffee seedlings at Chebororwa ATC.
Governor Chelilim encouraged farmers to join cooperatives and assured them of support in developing these cooperatives for effective crop enterprise management. He also acknowledged the valuable contributions of development partners, including the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union, in upgrading the coffee sub-sector.
Uasin Gishu County currently produces approximately 106 metric tonnes of coffee annually.