© Victor Ochieng’
Apart from the preparedness to study in Kenya, Form Four leavers should also see and seize scholarship opportunities based abroad. This gives us a riveting rehash of Tom Mboya (Rateng’ Okew Gi Odhiambo) – the silver-tongued and spell-binding orator. I fleshed this from Prof B.A. Ogot’s heroic book titled Tom Mboya: Life, Death and Disintegration of the Nascent Enterprise ‘Project Kenya’. Tom Mboya’s greatest gift to Africa was the philanthropic project of Kenyan students’ airlift to America (1959-1961). The maiden trip of 1959 had 81 students. The second one of 1960 had 288 students. Then, the third one of 1961 had 300 students.
Notable beneficiaries included: Pamela Odede, later the wife of Tom Mboya, Prof Wangari Maathai – the eco-warrior and 2004 Nobel Laureate. Then, there was Barrack Obama Senior, among others. Dr. Susan Mboya, Tom Mboya’s youngest child, carries the fire lit by the father through Zawadi Africa Education Fund (ZAEF), which since 2002 hitherto, has been supporting bright but needy belles: studying in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Canada, United States and South Africa. When the philanthropic drive started in 2002, only two girls benefitted, but by 2009, about 86 girls had received hope and help. The raft of qualifications include: the applicant must be a female student who is needy, scored an A (plain) or A- (minus) in KCSE, undertaken leadership role in school or community and should have completed high school not more than 2 years before applying. Applications are opened every February and closed in April of each year. This is the website: http://www.zawadi.org/apply-now/.
Consequently, Kenya Scholar Access Programme (KENSAP) extends hope and help to high-achieving, but financially disadvantaged Kenyan students. Successful applicants secure crucial chances to matriculate into top universities in US with full financial aid. The applicants must have scored at least an A- (minus) in KCSE, with at least a B (plain) in English. Applicants who scored less than an A- (minus), should send Statements of Purpose: explaining why they think they should be considered. Successful applicants benefit from college application assistance, mentorship, SAT or ACT coaching, pre-college counselling and access to the rich alumni network. This is the website: https://www.kensap.org/apply. Naphtali Haya, an alumnus of Alliance High School, is one of the success stories. After scoring an A (plain) in KCSE 2016, he secured KENSAP scholarship, and proceeded to pursue Engineering at Harvard University. Serendipitously, while at Harvard, his Senior Capstone Project, which is a requirement for all engineering students emerged the best. In turn, he scooped the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Engineering Project.
Moreover, in 2023, through Equity Leadership Programme (ELP), around 73 students joined Ivy League tertiary institutions in countries such as USA, UK, Canada, China, India and Germany. 5 joined Pennsylvania, 3 joined Harvard, 2 went to Princeton, 2 matriculated into Dartmouth, 2 went to Cornel, 1 joined Brown and 1 went to Columbia. In 2024, ELP enrolled 505 students from 47 counties to undergo leadership mentorship before joining top universities. The 26th cohort had 215 who scored A’s in 2023 KCSE. Then, 104 Wings to Fly Programme participants and 186 Elimu Scholarship recipients. Students on Wings to Fly Scholarship and Elimu Scholarship who score A- (minus) and A (plain) in KCSE, become automatic beneficiaries of ELP. Then, top students in every sub-county in KCSE exam also become beneficiaries of ELP.
In addition, there is the Student Refugee Programme (SRP) through World University Service of Canada (WUSC), which assists refugee students to study in Canada after high school. The 2025-2026 SRP Kenya applications opened on February 9, 2024 and closed on February 23, 2024. Qualifications include: Be a refugee living in Kenya of between ages of 18-25, minimum grade of B+ (plus) for male students and B- (minus) for female students, be proficient in English or French, be single and without children, have barriers to accessing or completing undergraduate education. Be self-reliant, mature, and suitable for integration in Canada.
Then, Education and Social Empowerment Programme (EaSEP), assists Kenyan students from low and middle-income settings to join elite North American colleges and universities. EaSEP’s main aim is to develop globally-educated, open-minded, ethical leaders for Kenya’s future. Each year, EaSEP selects 10 students and assists them to apply for full-need-based in some Ivy League tertiary institutions in North America. Qualifications include: At least an A- (minus) in KCSE and demonstration of leadership. Applicants should have roots in Western Kenya. EaSEP areas of jurisdiction include: Baringo, Nakuru, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Kericho and Bomet. Ideally, students should either be from those areas by birth or attended learnt in schools nestled in those regions. Applications close in July. The website: http://www.easepkenya.org/.
Furthermore, HeadStart Africa (HA) by DLA Piper in collaboration with DLA Piper Africa, offers robust support to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds who have traditionally experienced barriers such as insufficient funding for their studies. Or lack of opportunities to develop employability and network in their pursuit of tertiary education and a career in law or law-related career such as finance or IT. To be eligible for HeadStart, you must: Come from a low-income household like Orphaned and Vulnerable (OVCs) and a Person Living with Disability (PLWD). Be interested to pursue a legal career or law-related course such as finance or IT. Scored a B (plain) or B- (minus) from marginalised communities. Attended a public secondary school. Wielding leadership and moral fitness letter from secondary school. A letter from the chief. University admission letter if already admitted. Contact Sandra Abong’o, the responsible business co-ordinator: headstartafrica@ikm.co.ke.
Finally, study-abroad opportunities serve as excellent pathways to tertiary institutions abroad. These oodles of opportunities offer exciting experiences. Various study-abroad agencies such as craydel can also facilitate this journey. When applying to study abroad, students must prepare scanned copies of KCSE certificates, international passport and any other requisite document.
The writer offers piece of advice and guidance to students on how to make informed career choices. vochieng.@gmail.com. 0704420232
