Twenty-eight bright and financially disadvantaged students from Kericho and Bomet counties have received university scholarships worth Sh22 million from Browns Plantations Kenya Limited through the Browns and Finlays Community Trust. The scholarship programme will provide comprehensive tuition support for the beneficiaries throughout their undergraduate studies at recognized universities in Kenya, while each student will also receive a laptop to support online learning, research, coursework, and access to digital resources.
Scholarship targets top-performing needy students
The 2026 scholarship programme selected 22 beneficiaries based on academic performance and verified financial need, with the top-performing boy and girl from each of the 11 constituencies across Kericho and Bomet counties benefiting. A further six scholarships were awarded to dependants of Browns Plantations Kenya and Finlays employees.
Speaking during the scholarship presentation ceremony in Kericho, Browns Plantations Kenya Finance Director Darren Edwards, representing Chief Executive Officer and Browns and Finlays Community Trust patron Dushanth Ratwatte, said the programme was an investment in the future of the communities where the company operates.
Edwards said supporting young people through higher education could create long-term economic benefits for families and communities.
“When a young person from Kericho and Bomet completes their higher education and enters the professional economy, they transform the economic trajectory of an entire household for generations to come,” Edwards said.
He noted that university admission should mark the beginning of a student’s journey rather than the end of financial support.
Laptops to address digital skills gap
The company said the scholarship package was deliberately designed to address both the financial and technological barriers facing students from vulnerable households. Edwards noted that while Kenya continues to reform its higher education financing system, digital exclusion remains a challenge for some students. He said providing laptops alongside tuition support would enable beneficiaries to participate effectively in virtual learning, academic research and coursework.
“We are deliberately removing both the financial burden and the technological barriers so our scholars can fully participate in research, virtual learning and coursework from day one,” he said.
Students challenged to maximise opportunity
Tophill Brain and Spine Hospital founder and consultant neurosurgeon Dr Florentius Koech, who was the chief guest, challenged the beneficiaries to remain disciplined and make full use of the opportunity. Drawing from his own journey from Cheborgei in Bureti Sub- County, Kericho, to medical institutions in Kenya and abroad, Dr Koech described education as a powerful tool for transforming lives. He urged the students to remain focused on their studies and develop strong mindsets as they prepare for their professional careers.
Dr Koech also cautioned young people against excessive reliance on social media, urging them to dedicate time to reflection, planning and personal development. Among the beneficiaries is Rukia Hassan, who scored an A grade in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and is set to join the University of Nairobi to study Medicine. Hassan thanked Browns Plantations Kenya for the scholarship and pledged to work hard to make the most of the opportunity.
Company expands support for TVET education
The scholarship programme comes as Browns Plantations Kenya continues to invest in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as part of its community development programmes. In July, the Browns and Finlays Community Trust awarded Sh8.3 million in vocational scholarships to 39 trainees pursuing TVET programmes at Belgut and Konoin Technical Training Institutes.
The company also presented six graduates from its inaugural 2024 cohort with trade-specific start-up toolkits valued at up to Sh50,000 each to help them transition into self-employment after completing their training. Beyond scholarships, Browns Plantations Kenya has invested more than Sh350 million in 81 education infrastructure projects across Kericho and Bomet counties.
The projects include classrooms, science laboratories, libraries, dormitories and dining halls, supporting the company’s broader focus on education, technical skills development and youth opportunities. Browns Plantations Kenya is a tea and timber producer and exporter operating in Kericho and Bomet counties. The company manages more than 5,000 hectares of tea and over 2,000 hectares of forestry, supported by four tea factories, nine estates, and a sawmill. The company is also partly owned by the local community, which holds a 15 per cent stake through the Kipsigis Highlands Multipurpose Co-operative Society.