Pioneer Insurance offers over 200 needy students scholarship

More than 200 bright and needy students have gotten Pioneer Insurance scholarship.

Some five students were selected from different schools across each of the 47 counties.

The insurer is working with students, parents and community leaders in each of the selected schools, to create a general education model that has two dimensions.

The dimensions include planting 1,000 trees within the school compound and identify highly talented and deserving students for the Pioneer Trees And Scholarship for Kenya programme.

The scholarship beneficiaries will receive fees, mentorship and leadership training.

Their responsibilities however, begins with organising their schoolmates to nurture the trees and study environmental issues both at school and in the community.

Pioneer Insurance general manager for marketing and customer experience Timothy Mutua said the 1,000 trees will transform the school environment within two years.

He said the trees will contribute to the national forest cover and support UN sustainable development goals, SDG number 13, on climate action.

Mutua spoke while handing over cheques to 10 schools in Kisumu and Siaya counties last week.

The schools in Kisumu were Rae Girls, Achego Girls, Katolo, Thurdibuoro and Ngere Boys High School. In Siaya the schools were Chianda High School, Sawagongo Boys, Barding Boys, Boro Secondary School and Lwak Girls.

“Besides fighting climate change, when the trees mature, they will beautify the school compounds. They will provide shade for outdoor study, recreation and give children a model of what to do with the trees in their homes,” Mutua said.

He said they are delighted to partner with schools across the 47 counties, to empower the youths. 

The official said the programme will help develop their capabilities and regard them as change agents, by using tree planting as a means of transforming their own schools.

Kisumu assistant Forest Conservator Ambrose Genga said the use of schools to increase forest cover is the best.

He said schools provide enough spaces for planting of trees and free labour.

Genga said the schools’ fraternity should escalate tree planting to neighbouring villages.

He however, cautioned schools against reckless felling of trees for wood fuel, urging school heads to seek approval from authorities before cutting any tree.

Barding Secondary School principal Samwel Ogweno applauded the move by Pioneer Insurance saying the students will be motivated to become environmentalist champions.

The insurer targets to plant 500,000 trees around the country through the Go Green initiative.