Making Education Accessible to All: The Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project Disburses Ksh 51.7 Million Worth of Bursaries

In the semi-arid landscape of northern and eastern Kenya, community members’ access to formal education is hampered by a combination of geographic, socioeconomic, and political factors. A socioeconomic baseline survey NRT Trading conducted in 2021 in 25 community conservancies in six counties, including Isiolo, Laikipia, Samburu, and Marsabit, revealed, among other factors, that only 1% of the respondents had a university education.

Therefore, to improve access to learning, the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP) disbursed Ksh 51,750,500 (USD 383,337) in bursaries to 7,225 needy students across the 14 NRT member community conservancies participating in the Project. The bursaries, distributed in the first half of 2023, have improved student school attendance.They have also provided a respite for struggling pastoralist families, relieving the enormous financial strain they have been under while rebuilding their lives following the historic 2022 drought that decimated their livestock herds, depriving them of their main source of livelihood.

Mohamed Issa Musa, a resident of Nasuulu Community Conservancy, expressed his gratitude for the bursaries, saying, “I am overjoyed that my children have not been sent home from school since they were fortunate enough to be granted bursaries through the Carbon Project. This financial support has provided them with a life-changing opportunity to continue their education without hindrance. It has opened doors to a brighter future for them. I am very grateful.”

As the student school attendance rate has been increasing, so has the need for enhanced educational facilities. In response, a portion of the Carbon Community Fund was designated for infrastructure projects, including the construction of classrooms and Early Childhood Education (ECDE) centers, and the renovation of existing classes to accommodate more students.

In March 2023, three of the 14 NRT member community conservancies involved in the Carbon Project launched Carbon Project-funded education bursaries amounting to Ksh 19 million, benefitting 4,600 students.

Isiolo County Governor, H.E. Abdi Ibrahim Guyo, who presided over the launch event endorsed the bursaries which target conservancies in Isiolo County, including Nasuulu, Biliqo Bulesa, and Oldonyiro’s Naapu, Nanapisho, Nannapa, Narupa units. All the 12 community conservancies in Isiolo plans to spend a combined Ksh 38 million on educational bursaries in 2023, in line with decisions made and approved by their respective indigenous communities.

Speaking during the launch of the bursaries in Isiolo County, Dr. James Lowasa, the Isiolo County Deputy Governor, said, “It’s crucial to prioritize education as it ultimately benefits the entire community.”

Through the NKRCP, Ksh 23 million was disbursed to the County Government in Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, and Laikipia Counties (in 2022 and 2023) for drought mitigation, benefiting 14,330 households across the four counties. The NKRCP is the world’s largest soil carbon removal project which connects rangeland restoration and livestock grazing planning to direct financial benefits for local communities.

NRT’s community conservancy model has always been about empowering indigenous communities and accelerating their development through conservation. With every bursary the NKRCP awards, it continues to advance NRT’s mission of transforming lives.