Scholarships combine tuition support and digital learning tools to help remove barriers to higher education for students in Bomet and Kericho counties
- Twenty-eight students from Bomet and Kericho counties have received undergraduate scholarships valued at KSh 22 million, including tuition support and a laptop for every scholar.
- Twenty-two scholarships were awarded to the top-performing boy and girl from each of the 11 constituencies in the two counties, based on academic performance and verified financial need.
- Six additional scholarships were awarded to dependants of employees of Browns Plantations Kenya and Finlays Tea Extracts Kenya.
- The programme supports efforts to expand access to higher education by addressing household financial constraints and limited access to essential digital learning resources.
Kericho, Kenya | Friday, 21 August 2026: The Browns and Finlays Community Trust, jointly funded by Browns Plantations Kenya Limited (80 per cent) and Finlays (20 per cent), has awarded undergraduate scholarships valued at KSh 22 million to 28 students from Bomet and Kericho counties.
The comprehensive scholarship package provides tuition support throughout each beneficiary’s undergraduate programme at a recognised Kenyan university. Every scholar has also received a laptop equipped with Windows and antivirus software to support online learning, academic research, coursework and access to digital educational resources.
The 2026 cohort includes 22 community scholars—one top-performing boy and one top-performing girl from each of the 11 constituencies in Bomet and Kericho counties. The students were selected based on academic performance and verified financial need. A further six scholarships were awarded to dependants of employees of Browns Plantations Kenya and Finlays Tea Extracts Kenya.
The scholarships come as Kenya continues implementing reforms intended to make higher education financing more equitable and responsive to students’ needs. Although national financing mechanisms provide important support towards university costs, students from financially vulnerable households may still encounter barriers such as limited access to computers, connectivity and digital learning resources.
By combining tuition support with a personal laptop, the Trust seeks to address both the financial cost of university education and the practical requirements of participating effectively in an increasingly digital learning environment.
Speaking during the scholarship awards ceremony in Kericho, Mr Dushanth Ratwatte, Chief Executive Officer of Browns Plantations Kenya Limited and Patron of the Browns and Finlays Community Trust, said:
“Access to university should not end with securing admission. Students need the resources to participate fully, succeed academically and prepare themselves for the world of work. By combining tuition support with a laptop, we are addressing both the financial and digital barriers that can affect a student’s ability to make the most of their university education.”
He added:
“Our focus is on identifying talented young people who have demonstrated academic potential but whose circumstances could limit their opportunities. Supporting them through university is an investment not only in the individual students, but also in the human capital and future leadership of the communities where we operate.”
The Chief Guest, Dr Florentius Koech, Consultant Neurosurgeon and Founder of Tophill Brain and Spine Hospital, encouraged the scholars to make the most of the opportunity and use their education to create a positive impact.
“Academic potential is not defined by privilege; it is unlocked through discipline, perseverance and the right support at the right time. Having started my educational journey at a rural primary school in Cheborge before advancing through local and international medical institutions, I know first-hand the difference that uninterrupted access to education can make.
“By providing these students with both university tuition and the digital tools they need to learn, this programme is helping to remove barriers that can stand between talent and opportunity. It is also preparing a new generation of professionals and leaders who can contribute to Kenya’s future.”
The undergraduate awards follow the Trust’s investment of KSh 8.3 million in vocational scholarships for 39 trainees at Belgut and Konoin Technical Training Institutes in July 2026. Six graduates from the 2024 Technical and Vocational Education and Training cohort also received professional start-up toolkits valued at up to KSh 50,000 each to help them establish income-generating enterprises using the skills acquired through their training.
With the addition of the 2026 undergraduate cohort, the Browns and Finlays Community Trust and its partners have supported 1,243 students across different levels of education, including 484 undergraduate scholarship beneficiaries.
Beyond scholarships and bursaries, more than KSh 350 million has been invested in 81 education infrastructure projects across the region. These education programmes form part of the Trust’s broader community investment approach, which seeks to expand access to education, develop technical and employable skills, and strengthen opportunities for young people in communities surrounding its partners’ operations.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Scholarship Programme at a Glance
| Programme indicator | Impact or details |
| 2026 undergraduate scholarship investment | KSh 22 million |
| Students awarded scholarships in 2026 | 28 |
| Community scholars | 22—one boy and one girl from each of the 11 constituencies in Bomet and Kericho counties |
| Employee-dependant scholars | Six |
| Tuition support | Comprehensive support throughout each scholar’s undergraduate programme |
| Digital learning support | A laptop for every scholarship recipient |
| Selection criteria | Academic performance and verified financial need |
| Total undergraduate beneficiaries to date | 484 |
| Total students supported across secondary, TVET, undergraduate and postgraduate education | 1,243 |
- Why the Laptop Matters
The laptops are an integral component of the scholarship programme rather than an additional ceremonial gift. University students increasingly depend on digital devices to participate in online learning, conduct academic research, access digital libraries and journals, prepare assignments, communicate with lecturers and complete coursework.
Providing every scholar with a laptop therefore extends the programme beyond tuition assistance by addressing a practical barrier to full participation in higher education.
- About the Browns and Finlays Community Trust
The Browns and Finlays Community Trust is the community investment platform through which Browns Plantations Kenya and Finlays deliver sustainable community development programmes across Kericho and Bomet counties.
Browns Plantations Kenya provides 80 per cent of the Trust’s funding, while Finlays contributes 20 per cent, reflecting the partners’ shared commitment to expanding access to education, strengthening livelihoods and supporting sustainable community development.
Through the Trust, the partners invest in education, healthcare, water, infrastructure, sustainable livelihoods and disaster-relief initiatives intended to improve the wellbeing and resilience of communities in the region.
- About Browns Plantations Kenya Limited
Browns Plantations Kenya Limited, formerly James Finlay Kenya Limited, is part of Browns Plantations under the Browns Group, a diversified conglomerate within LOLC Holdings PLC, one of Sri Lanka’s largest listed corporations.
Browns Plantations Kenya is one of Kenya’s leading tea producers and a long-term investor in sustainable agriculture and community development.
Media Contact
Zackayo Owino
Corporate Communications
Browns and Finlays Community Trust
Email: zackayo.ochieng@brownsplantations.co.ke
Telephone: +254 796 438 556
Website: www.brownsplantations.co.ke