A total of 116 bright and needy students from Laikipia County have benefited with about Sh.18.2 million worth of scholarships courtesy of Olpejeta Conservancy.
Laikipia governor Joshua Irungu speaking in Nanyuki on Tuesday after issuing the cheque said that the full scholarship was awarded to the underprivileged families around Olpejeta Conservancy after a thorough vetting by the local community leaders, administrative and elected leaders.
“We are happy with the good work the Olpejeta Conservancy is doing by awarding scholarships to the underprivileged families in the community. The students have received full scholarships after vetting by the community leaders,” revealed Irungu.
The 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary School (KCPE) candidates who are also expected to join form one next week for the first term, had scored 330 marks and above.
The scholarships are part of Olpejeta community initiatives and Irungu urged other conservancies in the area to partner in supporting students from humble backgrounds to access education in the county.
“Just the way Olpejeta has set the pace, I call upon other conservancies within the county to continue sponsoring other students and through that joint effort, we will be able to transform the livelihood of our people,” said the county boss.
The Olpejeta head of scholarship department Ms Judy Nyambura said that their aim is to uplift local communities through education and collaborate with the county government.
‘’We are partnering with the county government on ways of uplifting the livelihood of residents through education. We have initiatives that are community-geared like education,” she said, adding that those who benefit are within a five-kilometer radius from the conservancy.
She said supporting residents through education-led initiatives was one way of promoting wildlife conservation in the county.
The beneficiaries lauded the scholarship program and promised to work hard and achieve their dreams.
Parents were at the same time urged not to neglect their responsibilities of supporting their children and guiding them away from indulging in drugs and substance abuse.
Olpejeta which is a privately owned conservancy, targets to sponsor over 400 students this year. Last year they supported about 161 students.
By Muturi Mwangi
