About 118 university students from vulnerable families in Murang’a County have been awarded scholarships.
These scholarships come amid confusion surrounding the new university funding model, leaving many students uncertain about their financial futures.
Governor Irungu Kang’ata stated that the initiative aims to ease the financial burden on disadvantaged families, enabling their children to complete their education without obstacles.
“I urge the beneficiaries to work hard and seek volunteer opportunities in their career fields to gain experience, especially during holidays,” he said.
The scholarship program is a collaborative effort between the county government and professionals within the Murang’a Budget and Economic Council. Council members contributed personal donations, focusing on orphans, individuals with disabilities, and those in extreme need.
To qualify, beneficiaries must be Murang’a residents who have been accepted to a degree program at a local public university. Additionally, Kakuzi Ltd, a fruit processing company, contributed Sh2 million to the initiative.
Kang’ata called on the national government to simplify the university funding model to facilitate greater access for students.
“It’s disheartening to see bright children from poor backgrounds unable to pursue higher education. Educated young people positively impact society,” the governor emphasized.
The university students are part of a larger group of 4,500 learners who received Sh52 million in bursaries and scholarships at Mumbi grounds on Saturday.
Equity Bank founder Peter Munga, who chairs the council, highlighted the transformative potential of education for society.
Murang’a, he noted, was the first region to produce a university graduate, Dr. Gikonyo Kiano, who was supported by community fundraising efforts to attend Stanford University.
Munga mentioned that the council is reaching out to multinational companies to support the program as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
“This is a primary way to assist vulnerable families, considering the challenges they face,” he said.
Simon Odhiambo, head of corporate affairs at Kakuzi, announced that starting next year, the company will offer 20 leadership development slots annually for students from the county as part of its pre-university internship program.
“We will provide fully funded pre-university internships to prepare outstanding students for job opportunities and their university studies,” he said, highlighting fields like finance, legal studies, agronomy, and more.
One beneficiary, Simon Irungu, an orphan, moved many to tears with his story of hardship in pursuing education.
His mother passed away when he was two, and his father died when he was 11, leaving him in the care of his struggling grandparents.
“I scored a B plain in KCSE and enrolled at Murang’a University of Technology for IT engineering, but I couldn’t afford accommodation and living expenses, so I returned home,” Irungu shared.
“Even getting bus fare to this event was difficult; our neighbors lent me the money.”
The economic council provides financial advice to Kang’ata and includes prominent business figures and professionals, such as businessman Jimnah Mbaru, Royal Media Services owner SK Macharia, and former Kenyatta University vice chancellor Olive Mugenda.
