For 89 young people from different corners of Kakamega County, their dream of joining university or college has received a major boost.

The students are beneficiaries of the 2026 Barasa Jamii Scholarship Programme, which has set aside KSh54 million in full scholarships to enable them to pursue various courses in institutions of higher learning across the country.

The beneficiaries were celebrated during the 2026 Barasa Jamii Scholarship Awards held at Golf Hotel, Kakamega, marking the fifth cohort of the programme implemented through a partnership with ACESS Kenya.

For the students and their families, the occasion was about more than receiving scholarship awards. It was a moment of relief and renewed hope for families who may otherwise have struggled to raise the money required to keep their children in higher education.

Some of the beneficiaries come from families facing significant financial challenges, but their academic ability has given them a chance to pursue their dreams.

The programme is anchored on education, one of the key pillars of Governor Fernandes Barasa’s Six-Point Agenda, which places opportunity and human development at the centre of Kakamega’s development agenda.

Governor Barasa said every child should have a fair chance to succeed, regardless of the circumstances into which they are born.

The Governor’s message resonated strongly with the beneficiaries, many of whom now have an opportunity to pursue careers they had only imagined before.

For parents, the scholarships come as a welcome intervention at a time when the cost of higher education continues to put pressure on household incomes.

For the students, however, the support carries an even deeper meaning—it removes one of the biggest barriers between them and the future they have worked hard to achieve.

Through the partnership with ACESS Kenya, the Barasa Jamii Scholarship Programme has continued to grow, reaching its fifth cohort and supporting talented young people who might otherwise have been forced to abandon or postpone their education because of financial difficulties.

The initiative is also a reminder that education can change the fortunes of entire families. A university or college graduate can become a professional, create employment, support their family and contribute to the development of their community.

As the 89 beneficiaries prepare to begin or continue their studies, the message from the scholarship programme is clear: talent should not be limited by poverty, and a lack of money should not be allowed to bury a young person’s dream.

For these students, the scholarship is a chance to learn, grow and ultimately give back to the communities that have helped shape their journey.