BURSARY
PROGRAMME
MEET THE BURSARY STUDENTS.
As part of our promotion of educational opportunities, we run a Bursary Programme which provides school fees for secondary education for students who otherwise could not attend.
The students all come from Dabaso, Kakuyuni and Watamu primary schools and go through a comprehensive application process overseen by selection boards made up of librarians, Kenyan trustees, and other members of the community.
We receive reports conducted by the librarians on their progress once a year, linked below.
Lawrence
Project Officer (Sanitation & Hygiene), World Vision Kenya
Bursary student 2006-2010
The Akili Trust bursary has enabled me to see my future hope. I would like to inform you that I am an industrious boy and believe through your support I will manage to overcome the challenges of the world. My dream or ambition is to become a doctor and due to that I have put a lot of concentration in my studies. My sincere hope is that through your support I will achieve my goals. My mission is to make Dabaso better than I found it in terms of academic excellence. This will be achieved through your support and the resource that is situated at Dabaso. My hobby is reading story books and I am a supporter of the Gunners (Arsenal).
Laureen
Clinical Officer, Medicross Kenya Limited
Bursary student 2006-2010
Through the Akili Trust sponsors I have been able to join the outlined secondary school and now going on with the education for three years. Through the Akili Trust I have been able to acquire encouragement and its my sincere hope that through their educational motivation I will be able to pursue my ambition of becoming one of the famous worldwide surgeons. I also have three sisters and one brother, one niece and three nephews. I have a pet ( a cat).
Neema, Form 2
What are your plans for the future? What would you like to be?
I would like to be an Accountant by profession and I am planning to be one of the Akili Trust Members so that I can help the students in our community.
Mohammad, Form 2
What were your main achievements this year?
My achievement this year was in Physics I really improved in this subject. I also participated in debate and I was lucky to reach up to county level.
Cynthia, Form 3
What do you think you need to make progress on?
Next year I will be working on my grade as this is my final year. It is not to my expectations to get a grade that will not allow me to achieve my ambitions.
SELECTION PROCESS.
Bursary selections are carried out by the management committees of the two Akili libraries.
Each year the committees distribute application forms for the bursaries to students in the schools where the libraries are based. The following criteria are used to decide how to allocate the bursaries:
-
A report from the school on the applicant’s academic potential
-
Academic test results
-
Family circumstances, financial or personal, which limit the family’s ability to pay for secondary education
Selection panel members are required to withdraw from the process if a family member is involved. The committees’ decisions are final and are reported to the Board of Trustees in the UK for oversight.
HOW IT WORKS.
The programme provides money to cover the school fees. Other costs, such as uniform or boarding fees, are met by the student.
We stay in touch with the student’s progress, with the librarians maintaining contact and staying up to date to keep an eye on student’s progress and check in when they are struggling.
Their progress is closely monitored by the library staff, who will attend parents’ evenings at school if necessary, provide guidance and receive school reports.
Bursary students also volunteer to work in the libraries as part of the programme. A rota is maintained for the students to come into the library and help the librarians. The older bursary students also give support to younger students and the community of students. They also support each other with their learning.
BURSARY STUDENT ALUMNI.
We now have an impressive group of bursary students who have graduated from school and are university or college studying a range of subjects from nursing to medicine to environmental health to economics or freight management to tourism.
They have set up a ‘Graduates of Dabaso’ group and meet regularly to find ways that they can give back to the community through mentoring and support to other students.
