Airtel Keeps a Long-Running Scholarship Programme Alive for Mukuru Learners
The extended agreement combines financial support with broader student welfare initiatives, reflecting a growing focus on long-term educational outcomes in underserved communities.
Twenty-two students from Nairobi’s Mukuru informal settlement will receive full secondary school scholarships after Airtel Kenya renewed its education partnership with Mukuru Promotion Centre (MPC).
The renewed agreement will fund tuition for learners at St. Michael’s Secondary School through 2028, providing a lifeline for families facing mounting economic pressures that have made it increasingly difficult to keep children in school.
The latest cohort adds to more than 190 students who have benefited from the programme since its launch in 2017. The initiative targets vulnerable learners who are at risk of dropping out due to financial constraints.
However, Education stakeholders have increasingly raised concerns about the impact of household economic challenges on school attendance, particularly in low-income urban settlements. Programmes such as the Airtel-funded scholarship seek to bridge that gap by ensuring students can complete their secondary education.
Speaking during the renewal ceremony, Airtel Kenya Managing Director Ashish Malhotra said the company views education as a key driver of social and economic mobility.
“Education remains one of the most powerful tools for transforming lives and unlocking opportunity. Through this partnership, we are investing in the potential of young people and giving them the support they need to stay in school, pursue their ambitions, and build brighter futures. We are proud to continue working with Mukuru Promotion Centre to ensure that more learners can access quality education regardless of their circumstances, “he said.
St. Michael’s Secondary School was established in 2008 by Mukuru Promotion Centre to provide affordable quality education to children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Mukuru, one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements. The area is estimated to be home to about 700,000 residents and continues to face challenges related to poverty, unemployment and access to social services.
In addition to funding school fees, Airtel Kenya employees have supported girls at the school through menstrual health programmes, including the donation of sanitary pads to help improve school attendance.
The scholarship initiative falls under the Airtel Africa Foundation’s FEED sustainability programme, which focuses on education, digital inclusion, financial inclusion and environmental sustainability across the continent.
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