A total of 110 students are set to benefit from a Sh3.2m scholarship from the Chandaria Foundation.
Chandaria Foundation donated the amount to the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) for the 2024 Secondary School Scholarships.
The Chandaria Foundation is one of the oldest charity organizations in Kenya having been founded by the Chandaria Family in 1955.
Its key objectives are to help the less fortunate members of society in Education, Health, Arts and culture and support projects that the trustees see as playing an innovative or leadership role in Kenya’s development.
Among the beneficiaries of the education grant via the Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship are Esther Njeri, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science at Kenyatta University, and Emmanuel Ndumbi, a second-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at Moi University.
Their stories are marked by resilience, determination, and remarkable dedication.
Emmanuel’s motivation for pursuing a career in the medical field goes beyond personal ambition.
His aspiration stems from his need to improve the healthcare, financial, and social welfare back home.
“I have experienced the devastating impact of illness within my own family. My father succumbed to cancer in 2021. The following year, my uncle, Dad’s younger brother, also succumbed to cancer," said the 20-year-old Ndumbi.
"The pain of having lost such great men who had moulded and shaped me has motivated me to study hard and pursue a career in the medical field.”
After scoring 397 marks in 2016 KCPE, Ndumbi earned admission to Nanyuki High School.
However, due to financial constraints, he could not join the school.
“The school was very far from home, and my parents could not raise the amount that was required for school fees,” he explained
In January 2017, Ndumbi secured the Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship offered in partnership with KCDF.
This assistance significantly alleviated the financial strain on his parents, as they only needed to manage the remaining fee balance.
Njeri is another beneficiary of this programme.
After scoring 403 marks in the KCPE examinations at Kabiria Primary School in 2017, she was invited to join Mary Hill Girls High School.
Despite financial challenges in her family, her mother secured a loan from women's savings groups to support her education.
“My mother struggled to raise school fees for the three school terms, loan after loan.” Esther narrates.
It was during her second year in form two that her mother received information from a neighbour that KCDF in collaboration with the Chandaria Foundation, was running the Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship Programme.
“We were invited for an interview before being admitted, and I emerged successful and was awarded the Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship in collaboration with KCDF. I felt so relieved, but more so my mother because she was the one who was shouldering the weight of the loans," she said.
“I was happy because I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about being sent home due to unpaid school fees,” she says. The scholarship also boosted her motivation. “I did not want to disappoint my sponsors. I had to work hard, and this kept me accountable all through.”
Esther excelled in the KCSE examinations in 2021, attaining a B+ mean grade and gaining admission to Kenyatta University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science.
The Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship places a strong emphasis on academic performance.
Scholars maintain regular communication with their sponsors, showcasing their progress and achievements.
KCDF, a public philanthropy foundation formed in 1997, supports sustainable community-driven development, with Education being a cornerstone of KCDF’s mission, as aligned with its strategic plan.
The Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship plays a pivotal role in advancing this mission.
For 18 years now, the Chandaria Foundation has been working closely with KCDF and other partners to transform the lives of underprivileged children through the Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship.
To date, the Chandaria Foundation, through its partnership with KCDF, has disbursed a total of Sh46,569,825, supporting more than 549 students on their educational journeys.