CMETrust offers secondary school scholarships to students in Mathare Valley slum who would not otherwise be able to continue their education. To find out why we prioritize education, go here. 

CMETrust scholars attend secondary school at boarding schools outside Nairobi. This ensures students can focus on their studies and excel without distractions. In addition, there are no secondary schools in Mathare, and so students living in Mathare would have had to spend a significant amount of time commuting to and from school in Nairobi’s traffic if they attended schools in the city. This decision was made in collaboration with community members and parents. 

Any student who attended private, government, or non-formal primary school in Mathare can apply for a scholarship. Students submit applications in January, and then a short-list of applicants participate in interviews with CMETrust’s Kenyan Field Representatives. The KFRs then provide details and recommendations to the Board of Directors for final selection. 

We select students based on four criteria:

• Academic Potential: Students must have achieved a score of at least 350/500 on their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination. 
• Ability to Live Away from Home: Students must be comfortable with and prepared for the challenges that come from living away from home, in a different region, with youth from very different backgrounds. Their families must be able to manage without the student at home. 
• Financial Need: We prioritize students and families who would not be able to afford secondary school otherwise.
• Commitment to their Community: We seek students who are committed to giving back to their community, and who will use their education to benefit not only themselves and their families, but also the broader community. 

We also make an effort to offer opportunities to both girls and boys, as well as to students from all neighbourhoods within Mathare and from a variety of primary schools. 

Our secondary school scholarships cover tuition fees, uniforms, school supplies, transportation to and from school, and room and board at the school, in addition to participation in the school-break programs. The scholarship costs $1500 CAD per student per year, or $6000 CAD for one student for the entire four years of secondary school. 

The number of scholars we can accept each year depends on the funds raised throughout the preceding year. You can help us support more students next year by donating today. Click here to meet some of CMETrust current Secondary School Scholars and their families.

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