Over 30, 000 needy students are set to benefit from full scholarships and bursaries courtesy of the County Government of Kisumu as schools reopen in January.
Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM) John Awiti said Sh. 205 million has been set aside for the initiative, which targets to ensure bright, needy students transition to secondary school and tertiary institutions while continuing beneficiaries proceed to the next class.
Through the initiative, he said, 1,400 students will receive full scholarships, while 29, 000 others will benefit from bursaries.
The disbursement to be carried out at the ward level, he added, shall be transparent to ensure that only deserving, needy cases benefit.
Speaking during a sensitisation meeting at Kosawo Hall in Kondele ward, the CECM asked the committees spearheading the exercise to uphold high levels of integrity to ensure the success of the programme.
The sensitisation meetings, which are being carried out across the eight sub-counties in Kisumu, target to create awareness to ensure that needy and deserving students benefit from the initiative.
He said the Sh. 205 million was not enough to cater for all the needy cases in the area, adding that the county government has partnered with other organisations to ensure that as many students as possible are reached.
“We have partnered with Equity Bank, which is supporting quite a number of our students through the Wings to Fly programme,” he said.
Others, he said, include the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Family Bank, and Cooperative Bank, which are implementing a similar programme in the area.
He urged well-wishers to join hands with the county government and partners to ensure that no needy student is left behind as schools reopen in January.
By Chris Mahandara
