According to the Kijabe Children’s Education Fund, one in two Kenyan girls never attend school, while nine in ten children from poor households fail to complete primary school. Promoting gender equality in Scholarships Boost Educationducation sector is a central tenet of the human rights agenda and a crucial element for realising the transformative goals outlined in the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development. Kenyan public education institutions are grappling with deficient facilities, a shortage of adequately trained teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and subpar academic outcomes. How Research published by the Centre for Public Impact showed that scholarships boosted classroom effort and raised pupils’ exam scores. A survey of 64 schools in Western Kenya showed that girls with initially low pre-test scores, who might not have been considered likely scholarship recipients, experienced a positive influence from the girls’ scholarship programme. The benefits extended beyond the expected scholarship winners. Scholarships contributed to a 25% decrease in school absenteeism among students and positively impacted overall teacher attendance, which increased by 7.6%. What is NCBA’s citizenship programme? NCBA is one of Kenya’s financial institutions that has provided scholarships to needy Kenyan students for the last 16 years. It has partnered with other organisations, including Edumed Trust, Daraja Kenya Initiative, Dr. Choksey Albinism Foundation, SOS Kenya, Mpesa Foundation Academy and Palmhouse Foundation since 2007. During this period, it has invested a whopping KSh 100 million in the scholarship programme, benefiting brilliant learners from humble backgrounds. “Education is a high priority in Kenya and is considered a vital component of the country’s social and economic development. However, to realise the full potential of Kenya’s future generations, it is essential to guarantee that all children have access to quality education. At NCBA, we are determined to inspire greatness as we play our part in providing a solution to achieve sustained community transformation through education,” NCBA managing director John Gachora reiterated. How many students did NCBA sponsor in 2023? In 2023, the local lender sponsored 100 students to the tune of KSh 11.1 million. Subscribe to watch new videos Besides the education scholarships, it provides mentorship opportunities to students nationwide. “Through education, children are empowered to make changes in their communities and overcome the shackles of poverty. This enables them to better themselves, their communities, and the world as a whole,” NCBA Group chairman James Ndegwa said. NCBA scholarship beneficiaries Grace Odour, the programme director SOS Children Village in Kisumu, disclosed that NCBA has been supporting vulnerable children in the lakeside city for over a decade. This is through financial sponsorship and material support, enabling children from humble backgrounds to study without worries. “NCBA started working with SOS Kenya in 2012, and since then they have consistently supported us financially, provided materials for learning and supported us morally. The funds are being used to pay for proper medical care and we also ensure the children access clothing and food,” she explained. Subscribe to watch new videos How KCB empowered the youth In related news, KCB’s KSh 260 million 2Jiajiri programme has created over 130,000 jobs for the youth. The bank offers scholarships for technical skills to out-of-school youth aged 18-35, focusing on upskilling, as well as providing skill enhancement opportunities for existing micro-entrepreneurs. It also delivers business development services and facilitates discounted asset and capital financing for the graduates under the programme. The 2Jiajiri programme aims to provide business development services for 25,000 MSMEs enabling them to access KSh 1.5 billion next year.
by Japhet Ruto