Lerato Foundation Launches Nationwide Scholarship Expansion Across All 47 Counties

The Lerato Foundation has officially announced a nationwide scholarship expansion programme reaching all 47 counties of Kenya, marking a significant step in strengthening access to education for students from diverse and underserved communities.

The initiative, unveiled in March 2026, is designed to decentralize educational support by ensuring that learners from every county have fair access to scholarships, mentorship, and structured academic development opportunities.

The programme will be implemented through county-based coordination structures, allowing communities to participate directly in identifying students in need of academic sponsorship and leadership development support.

Foundation representatives described the expansion as a strategic move to close educational inequality gaps and ensure that talent and potential are not limited by geography or economic background.

The programme will be implemented in collaboration with partners such as Agape Group, which has been actively involved in supporting academic sponsorship and youth mentorship initiatives.

Key Features of the Programme

• County-level student selection and verification systems
• Full and partial scholarships for secondary and tertiary education
• Academic mentorship and leadership development programmes
• Student welfare and psychosocial support structures
• Performance tracking and academic follow-up systems
• Long-term alumni engagement and career development pathways

The Lerato Foundation stated that the new structure will strengthen transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability in the distribution of educational opportunities.

Education stakeholders across Kenya have welcomed the initiative, noting that it arrives at a critical time when many students continue to face financial challenges that hinder school completion and progression to higher education.

The foundation also confirmed that implementation will be rolled out in phases, beginning with county-level engagement forums, student identification drives, and partnership coordination with schools and community organizations.

This scholarship expansion forms part of the foundation’s broader national impact strategy, which also includes youth empowerment programmes and sports development projects such as the Darajani Sports Academy.

Across communities, the announcement has been received as a powerful signal of renewed hope for students seeking access to education and a pathway toward better opportunities.

As the programme begins its rollout, the foundation reaffirmed its guiding vision of transforming lives through education and opportunity.