How NCBA's Sh12 million scholarship is unlocking the future for bright students

At the Railway Museum in Nairobi, a moment of transformation unfolded on February 25, 2025.

More than 150 students from disadvantaged backgrounds, some from deep rural areas and others from informal settlements, stood on the brink of a new future.

Thanks to NCBA Bank’s Sh12 million scholarship investment—part of its Sh100 million annual commitment—these students now had the financial support to pursue their education.

But this event was more than just a scholarship handover; it was a stage for powerful stories of resilience, ambition, and triumph against the odds.

Beneficiaries from Edumed Trust, Dr Choksey Albinism Foundation, M-Pesa Foundation Academy, SOS Children’s Villages Kenya, Palmhouse Foundation, Daraja Kenya Initiative, KENSAP, WEDCO, and Kianda Foundation shared how these scholarships had altered their life paths.

From Shyness to Confidence: Victoria’s Journey

Victoria, a student from M-Pesa Foundation Academy, stood confidently before the audience, a stark contrast to the timid girl she once was.

She credited her transformation to the support she had received from the program.

"My name is Victoria from M-Pesa Foundation Academy, and we have a partnership with a bank, and we're really grateful for whatever they're doing for us. I'm grateful for the impact they're making in terms of supporting education in society," she said.

"When I came into high school and we met with NCBA for the first meeting. I was very nervous. I was a really shy person. I couldn't even speak in front of people, but over the past few years, I've seen development in myself. I've seen myself gain the courage to speak in front of people."

Victoria also shared that the skills she has gathered through the program have placed her at a better place to zero in on a definite career path.

Victoria’s aspirations extend beyond the classroom.

She envisions a future where the legal system evolves to address injustices, believing that the law should be adaptable rather than rigid.

"I feel like there's a lot of injustice in the world, and I feel like the law was created to solve these injustices... the law is not rigid and it's not supposed—it's supposed to be malleable. It's something that you create along the lines, and it doesn't have to be fixed."

She hopes to one day return as a partner in similar scholarship initiatives, ensuring that the cycle of empowerment continues.

Her advice to young people was direct:

"For you to actually obtain your dream, you have to have a goal and find something that motivates you towards achieving it. But more importantly, action really helps. We always talk, we always plan, but implementing is actually the biggest issue."

Muhad Adan Abdullah: Beating the Odds from Mandera to Princeton

For Muhad Adan Abdullah, the road to Princeton University was anything but easy.

Born into what he described as a large polygamous family in Wargadud, Mandera County, food scarcity and financial struggles were everyday realities.

"I come from a place called Wargadud in Mandera County… none of my parents were employed, and managing 40 children was a really big hurdle for them," he shared.

Despite the challenges, Muhad worked hard in school, earning a place in KENSAP—a programme that identifies top-performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

He recalled the cultural shock of leaving his village for the first time.

"The first time I left my home was in 2020… I came to school and realized all the differences in cultures and the different kinds of challenges people from other parts of Kenya were experiencing," he said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he took it upon himself to inspire young girls in Mandera to pursue education, challenging deep-seated societal norms.

Muhad's ambition, should the opportunity arise, is to come back into the country after Princeton and partner with NCBA in improving the standards of learning institutions, particularly in his hometown, where he noted the lack of teachers and equipment.

"If I got an opportunity? Definitely, yes, because, especially in the education sector back home, like the education is not so nice because we don't even have enough teachers, there are just a lot of problems in the kind of education that we have back at home."

"So ensuring we have...laboratories, and then they have...good furnitures, mentorships, and then, just making sure things are better, and then they are reaching a really nice level of quality education."

"I think if I can partner with NCBA so that they can help improve the education in such places, I think I would really love to do it," he added.

His message to students from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds was clear:

"The world is yours to conquer. If you've been tied to a village your whole life, you might think life revolves around that small place. But when you start to move out, you realise there’s a whole horizon ahead. You need to work hard, believe in yourself, and chase those opportunities."

Michael Lugalo: Aiming for Tech Innovation

Michael Lugalo grew up in Nairobi’s informal settlements, where hardship was an everyday reality.

His parents separated when he was young, and making ends meet was a constant struggle.

“So personally, it was a bit challenging both the economic stance, as well as handling the emotion you're there young, your witness and all these conflicts, fights, and then you're seeing how your mom is struggling. So it's kind of challenging in terms also the emotional part," Lugalo shared.

Despite this, he excelled academically and was admitted to Dagoretti High School, where he became a student leader.

Through KENSAP, with financial backing from NCBA, he secured an opportunity to study abroad at Middlebury College in the US.

His dream? To use technology to solve societal problems.

Michael highlighted how critical this support was, especially for students with no financial means to navigate the complex university application processes.

Michael plans to return to Kenya and contribute to the scientific and tech innovation sectors, aiming to create employment opportunities.

"When I go to the US, and fortunately enough, I get to study computer science, economics or something around STEM and get those enough experiences, I can come and be able to not just be motivating but also like giving those opportunities to students to be able to explore education," Lugalo said.

"I want to try and see how I can eventually come and impact, or create an environment where even those who are coming out of education can also venture into exploring their interest and coming up with startups that can provide employment, as well as making use of the talent that is here in Kenya."

NCBA: A Commitment Beyond Scholarships

The stories shared by these brilliant students resonated with NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora's remarks, which emphasised that the bank's investment in education was about more than just funding.

"We believe that education is the greatest equalizer, and we are here to ensure that bright but disadvantaged students have access to opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach," he said.

He reiterated NCBA's long-term commitment to empowering young people.

"We believe in the power of education to shape the future, and to top it up, we want to strengthen our mentorship initiatives to ensure that the students are well-rounded individuals who will be confident leaders in their communities, as we work towards having them paying their knowledge forward," he said.

Gachora encouraged the students to seize the opportunities before them.

NCBA Chairman James Ndegwa echoed the sentiments while highlighting the programme’s role in bridging educational gaps for young learners.

“I think this NCBA Educational program is so critical because it is leveling the playing field as much as possible for the youth so that they can be educated and participate, shape, influence and direct the future," Ndegwa remarked.

As the event drew to a close, one thing was evident—this was not just a corporate social responsibility initiative; it was a movement to shape the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and changemakers.

For students like Victoria, Muhad, and Michael, these scholarships are more than financial aid; they are tickets to a better future.

Whether through legal advocacy, community transformation, or technological innovation, these young Kenyans are ready to make an impact, proving that with the right support, no dream is too big.

Through these scholarships, NCBA and its partners are not just financing education; they are building a future where talented students, regardless of their backgrounds, can dream, achieve, and inspire.