Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda Education Sponsorships

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (Nelson Mandela). We know this because we have seen it from our very own education sponsorship program. Here are three examples of past students sponsored by kind RAS guests:

Sammy Leseita was one of the pupils in the first classrooms we built at Kipsing Academy in Samburu County, northern Kenya. With sponsorship help, he earned a Master’s degree in International Education Policy from Harvard and then went on to become a powerful force for positive change, as the Director of Education and now the Head of Livelihoods for the Northern Rangelands Trust. The Northern Rangelands Trust supports over 40 community conservancies across northern and coastal Kenya to govern their wild spaces, identify and lead development projects and build sustainable economies linked to conservation.

Francis Lemoile also went to Kipsing Academy, and then was sponsored through tertiary education. He is now working for SAFE Samburu, helping educate his community about HIV/AIDS, female genital mutilation (FGM) abandonment and child’s rights! What’s more, Francis and his wife Monicah have also supported 14 girls from poor families in his community to attend school!

Another example is Sammy Lemiruni, who was sponsored through diplomas in Tour guiding & Administration and Tour Operations. He has worked his way up to managing Saruni Rhino Lodge. The Lodge is in Sera Conservancy, East Africa’s first community-owned rhino conservancy. They offer specialist rhino-tracking experiences, which provide the community with a valuable income stream and are helping to protect these critically endangered animals.

With the very generous help of RAS guests and donors to our Royal African Foundation, in total, we have been able to support 97 students in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia through various stages of their education. This year, 54 students are being sponsored in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Three of these current students are Nelly, Collins and Scovia:

Nelly is now a form two student at Uaso Girls Secondary School, in Samburu County, Kenya and this is her story:

“I am Nelly, I was born in Maralal. I have a kind humble mother and father and two siblings, a brother and a sister. Before, I was learning at a school called GirGir Primary School, and now I get to go to Uaso Girls Secondary School. Thank you so much for paying my school fees and paying for my school uniforms. Education is the key to success, and it is like you have just been like a good samaritan to me. My favourite subject is science, and I dream one day of becoming a surgeon. Let me still have faith in God that I will accomplish my dream. I promise to be a diligent and hardworking student. May god bless you and give you strength.”

Nelly is one of nine girls currently being sponsored at the fantastic Uaso Girls Secondary School through our program, and with your help, we look forward to supporting more in the years to come.

Collins is currently doing courses in Automotive Engineering at Arusha Technical Training College in Tanzania. This is his story:

I was born in Tanzania in Kimandolu ward, Arusha, near Mount Meru. We are a family of four children, I being the eldest, and I have one brother and two sisters. I went to Grace Primary School and then Kimandolu Secondary School. I love Football, and after high school tried to start a football career, and I managed to play with a few different teams for a couple years, but I was unsuccessful and this was a tough time in my life. Then, in 2021, Chris Rodgers was kind to give me a job in his camp, and then I met this extraordinary man, Peter Silvester, and after talking to me for 15 minutes he said “Collins, if you want, I am taking you to Kenya so you can coach the Maasai Leagues we are working with.” (As part of the Sand River Soccer Leagues Project). For the next year, I got to work with the Osero League, and during this, I got to help them with their scrap Land Rover rebuild. Back then, I knew nothing about cars, but I did my very best to learn with them, and then once we completed the rebuild, it was so amazing. I couldn’t believe it, bringing that land rover to life again was amazing. Then I was determined to learn more, and I got a chance to join Arusha Technical College to study automotive engineering, and thanks to help from the Royal African Foundation, now I will become a qualified mechanic!

I am so grateful for the support, and sharing the knowledge and skills acquired from college is one of my greatest ambitions, I want to help my fellow youths and guide them to become successful mechanics who believe in teamwork. That’s my purpose and my happiness.”

Scovia is now in Primary two at Nkuringo Bright Hill Primary School near Bwindi National Park in Uganda.

This was Scovia’s story in the words of her head teacher Winfred in 2023: “Scovia is from Kisoro district (near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda). Her mother is disabled and was raped by a man she doesn’t know, and then she gave birth to her. She grow up in deep village and her mother was suffering since she couldn’t take care of herself, so they came to Nkuringo School, and l gave them a house and food so they stay with me, and the Batwa group support her mother.”

On the left is a photo of her and her mother in 2023, when some RAS guests met her on safari. Now thanks to their help, Scovia and three other students are being sponsored at Nkuringo Bright Hill School! In the middle is her with Lewi, and on the right (left to right) is Lewi, Scovia, Ciliton and Ivan.

Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed to the sponsorship of these students.

If you would like to help more students achieve their dreams to finish school and become forces for positive change in their communities, please support our program by clicking the link below.

Donate

100% of your donation will go to the project you choose and your donation to our registered 501(c)(3) organisation is tax-deductible as provided for by law. Please contact us if you have any questions.