Five bright but needy students in every county will benefit from education scholarships in a programme dubbed ‘go green’ initiated in the 47 counties.

Ten schools in Nyanza got the scholarships this week. Five were in Kisumu and five in Siaya counties. Some of the students were from Ngere Boys High School, Rae Girls, Achego, Thurdibuoro and Katolo Secondary.

Others were Barding, Chianda, Lwak, Sawagongo and Boro Secondary schools. The programme is a partnership between schools, Environment departments in the counties and Pioneer Insurance.

Cliff Otieno, a student from Barding Secondary, said: “I thank my sponsors for offering this bursary to support my education. I am also grateful for the mentorship and leadership training I have received.”

He is among the students who will get Sh5,000 each under the Go-Green programme

The would-be beneficiaries are picked by the schools’ administration. In each of the five schools, students plant 1,000 trees to transform the environment within two years. Besides fighting climate change, the 1,000 tree seedlings when mature, will beautify the school compound and provide shade for outdoor study and recreation.

Pioneer general manager for marketing, Timothy Mutua said: “The scholarship beneficiaries will receive school fees, mentorship and leadership training that begins with the responsibility of organising their schoolmates.”