Tea Firm Deepens Community Impact with Sh3 Million Education Scholarship

Browns Plantations Kenya Limited has reinforced its commitment to community development by awarding senior secondary school scholarships worth Sh3 million to 20 bright students drawn from its employee families.

The scholarships, unveiled in Kericho, form part of the company’s long-standing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy aimed at expanding access to education and easing the burden of rising school fees on vulnerable households within tea-growing communities.

Each beneficiary will receive Sh50,000 annually for three years, covering the 2026–2028 academic period and ensuring continuity through the critical senior secondary school stage.

Speaking during the award ceremony, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Dushanth Ratwatte, said education remains a central pillar of Browns Plantations’ CSR agenda, describing the initiative as a sustainable investment in human capital.

“Education is the foundation of long-term community empowerment,” Mr Ratwatte said. “By supporting our employees’ children, we are strengthening families and building resilient communities that can thrive beyond the tea sector.”

The majority of the 2026 scholarship recipients transitioned from junior secondary schools constructed by the company under a public-private partnership model, where Browns Plantations provides infrastructure while the government deploys teachers.

Beyond secondary education, the company runs extensive undergraduate and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes that support hundreds of students across Bomet and Kericho counties, reflecting a holistic approach to skills development.

However, the secondary scholarship programme is specifically tailored for children of employees at Browns Plantations and Finlays Tea Extracts Kenya, aligning employee welfare with community development goals.

The programme is administered through the Community Trust, an independent charitable body co-funded by Browns Plantations (80 per cent) and Finlays (20 per cent).

The Trust focuses on driving sustainable development initiatives in tea-growing regions through partnerships with local stakeholders.

Since its establishment in 1989 under the former 8-4-4 education system, the scholarship programme has benefited 606 students, making it one of the region’s most enduring corporate-supported education initiatives.

To date, Browns Plantations has invested Sh56.5 million in secondary education scholarships, underlining the company’s long-term CSR commitment to social transformation beyond core business operations.