Browns Plantations Kenya has awarded full undergraduate scholarships to 28 bright and needy students from Bomet and Kericho counties, in a programme valued at Sh19.9 million.
The awards were issued during a colourful ceremony at a hotel in Bomet, where each beneficiary received a scholarship worth Sh150,000 per academic year, alongside a brand-new laptop to support digital learning.
Of the total, 22 scholarships went to top-performing students, two from each constituency across both counties, while six were reserved for dependents of company employees.
“Education transforms potential into progress. By investing in education, we are not just transforming lives, we’re laying the groundwork for long-term community development,” Browns Plantations Kenya CEO Dushanth Ratwatte.
Since inception, the company’s scholarship programmes have benefited more than 1,100 learners: 586 secondary school students, 80 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students, 456 undergraduate students, and 25 postgraduate scholars.
Higher Education and Research Principal Secretary Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, in a speech delivered on her behalf by University of Kabianga Vice Chancellor Prof. Eric Koech, praised the initiative as a vital partnership in advancing Kenya’s education goals.
“The government is committed to expanding access to quality higher education, but this mission cannot be achieved in isolation. We commend Browns Plantations Kenya for complementing our efforts by ensuring bright, needy students can access university education,” she said.
Beyond scholarships, Browns has also invested over Sh317 million in 79 education infrastructure projects across Kericho and Bomet, including classrooms, libraries, dormitories, laboratories, and TVET workshops.
Its mentorship programmes have reached over 11,000 learners, equipping them with confidence, life skills, and discipline.
“Investing in one student plants the seed of progress for a community, investing in many allows us to harvest the future,” added Ratwatte.
Just last month, 40 additional TVET scholarships were awarded to learners from the two counties to pursue technical skills at Belgut and Konoin Technical Training Institutes in fields such as Automotive Engineering and Plumbing.
Browns Plantations Kenya, a leading tea producer and exporter with estates in Bomet and Kericho, is part of Sri Lanka’s Browns Group under LOLC Holdings PLC.
It manages over 5,000 hectares of tea and 2,000 hectares of forestry.
Its operations include four tea factories, nine tea estates, a sawmill, and an extensive forestry programme.
The company says sustainability, community empowerment, and education remain central to its long-term mission.
With a proud heritage in plantation management, the Group not only operates in Kenya but also Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone.
