OFF TO SCHOOL

Meet our eight new girl scholars: Teresa, Franciscar, Sharon, Faith, Mary, Stacey, Mercy and Fraciah. These are our Footprint foundation’s latest cohort of conservation scholars who went off to school in May. Bubbling with excitement for this new chapter of their lives to begin, they were full of talk about future dreams.

Our Conservation Scholars Programme is a girls-only four year high school sponsorship, giving students access to a quality secondary education. The girls worked hard to be selected from the Westgate community near Sasaab and from the area around Solio Lodge, completing interviews and written essays which shone above the rest. Part of our in-depth selection process includes choosing talented pupils with an enthusiasm for learning and a genuine need for assistance. This full scholarship means that all the girls’ basic school needs will be met, including textbooks, uniforms and fees, enabling them to focus fully on their education without worrying about money.

The programme has been in existence for the last five years and has witnessed eight students graduate so far, five of whom finished earlier this year. By the end of 2022, we expect 15 more to have completed their high schooling and be ready for the next step.

Guiding our young graduates to the next level has been a fun challenge. Two girls have started college and one is currently working at one of our lodges. The five that graduated earlier this year will soon be starting a rotational internship programme in our properties. We hope this will set them up with a wide range of skills and experience.

Our Conservation Scholarship programme is ever evolving and we welcome ideas from friends and partners which might benefit the project. We extend a special thank you to our colleagues who have agreed to mentor some of the girls as they start out in new careers. Our hearts are full of happiness for these five special ladies and we’re excited to see where they go.

Beyond the classroom

Students on safari from Laburra Primary School near Solio Lodge

As well as supporting students with their education, our Footprint foundation recognises the importance of an ‘outdoor’ education. We’re passionate about igniting a love of wildlife in young people in the hope that they will grow up caring for their environment and all its inhabitants. This is the idea behind Safari Kids.

Sala’s Camp safari kids

Every year, our guides take children from local schools and villages around our lodges on game drives. They head out for an adventure in our safari vehicles and love spotting all the wildlife, from lions to elephants and hippos to hyenas. Sadly, most Kenyan children have never seen the amazing animals that draw tourists from across the globe. This year, we hosted students from schools around Solio Lodge and Sala’s Camp. As well as being a fun day out for all, it is our hope that we have helped nurture tomorrow’s environmentalists.