Fourteen needy students from the Gem Wagai sub-county will have part of their school fees paid by a non-governmental organization, Shining Hopes for Communities (SHOFCO).
SHOFCO’s chairman of the education steering committee, Charles Ochieng Otieno said that each of the students will benefit from a Sh. 8,000 bursary to enable them to meet part of the cost of their education in various secondary schools.
Speaking at Wagai Trading Center in Siaya County during the disbursement of the bursary, Ochieng said that the bursary was from the cash raised by members of the NGO to benefit needy students.
He said that the initiative that has been going on for the last six months has so far benefitted 34 students, the majority of them being day scholars.
A member, Haggai Opiyo Abang’ said it was the aim of the organization that no student fails to go to school for lack of school fees.
Abang’ said the high cost of living was taking a toll on parents who are now unable to meet the cost of educating for their children and called on the government to urgently take steps to address the situation.
SHOFCO’s Siaya county branch chairman, Johnston Omollo said the organization plans to extend its bursary scheme to benefit needy students in technical and vocational training institutions.
Omollo said that through the new scheme, more than 400 students will benefit.
By Philip Onyango
