The Kenya Scholar Access Program (KenSAP) on Wednesday, May 21, held its sixth annual gala dinner at the Imara Ole Sereni Hotel to raise funds for underprivileged Kenyan students to access education in the United States and Canada.
The gala featured an auction of high-value items sponsored by lodges in the Maasai Mara and Nanyuki, with all proceeds going directly to support KenSAP's programming and students.
“Every year, we have an annual gala; the gala has grown over the years. This is our sixth gala, and the first year we raised about $40,000 in net proceeds. This year, we are expecting to raise about $90,000 in net proceeds. It will depend on the auction tonight.
"Auction items are usually sponsored by the lodges in Mara and Nanyuki. All of the proceeds of those auction items support our program and our students,” said KenSAP Executive Director Alan Davidson, told Nairobileo.co.ke.
Davidson highlighted the importance of the event in sustaining the organization’s operations, noting that the majority of its annual funding comes from the gala.
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“In terms of where the funds go, this event usually raises 90 percent of our annual budget, and all the proceeds go to support students and alumni of our program,” he explained.
Davidson also shed light on KenSAP’s rigorous recruitment process, which starts after the release of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.
“We text students from all across Kenya; after high school, when the KCSE results are released, our recruitment opens. We then have five months for the selection and admission process, where the students go through a series of interviews.
“This year, we had 1800 applications that had a D+ and above; we narrowed down to about 250 WhatsApp interviews, then we narrowed down again to 50 finalist interviews. Those finalists will be traveling to Nairobi for in-person interviews,” he added.
Davidson noted that only 20 students will be picked from the finalists, "We try to be as fair as possible, the only thing that we run up against is that the universities make the ultimate admission decision. They have expectations of grades, and they don't understand the Kenyan education system so well, so that's why we usually go B+ and better."
KenSAP is a non-profit college access initiative that identifies and places Kenyan students from disadvantaged backgrounds into elite universities abroad on full financial aid packages.
Beyond placement, the program also offers professional development, mentorship, internship placements, peer networks, and support in navigating academic and cultural life abroad.
Since its inception, KenSAP has placed 320 students into some of the most competitive universities in the world, including over 120 into the prestigious Ivy League.
The program boasts a 100% college acceptance rate and a remarkable 97.5% graduation rate.
In total, KenSAP has helped generate more than $100 million in educational financial aid and has an outstanding return on investment: $16,000 in financial aid generated for every $1,000 donated.
Notably, more than 80 alumni have returned to Kenya; the program has also seen 22 of its alumni attain PhDs.
Speaking to Nairobileo.co.ke, Thwahir Malafu, a recipient of the KenSAP programme from Kakamega County, shared how the programme has transformed his life
"I think KenSAP has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. From the moment I joined the program, I was introduced to so much of what I know now, amazing people, valuable connections, and the experience of working with peers from different schools.
"These are students from some of the best schools, and they’re incredibly smart. They had access to resources I hadn't seen before, so we learned a lot from each other and formed lasting friendships. Later, KenSAP even helped me get an internship. I worked at the Chamere Institute in Kilimani, where I met so many inspiring people," Malafu stated.
At the same time, Dr. Barry Craig, the President and Vice-Chancellor of Huron University in Canada, revealed that they had partnered with KenSAP to give international students scholarships.
"Two years ago, we met Alan Davidson and learned about KenSAP and the incredible work it does. At our university, we offer more scholarships to international students than any other Canadian university. As you know, studying in North America, whether in Canada or the United States, is very expensive. There are incredibly talented students around the world, but financial barriers often stand in the way. That’s why we have a robust scholarship program designed to identify exceptional students, regardless of where they come from, and give them the opportunity to study with us.
"In fact, our current student council president is a young man from Kenya, here on a scholarship through KenSAP, and he’s with us tonight. All of our students also receive paid internships. This young man, after studying at our university on scholarship, will soon graduate and go straight into a prestigious job at Goldman Sachs. We’re extremely proud of him, and of KenSAP for discovering such extraordinary talent and connecting them with world-class institutions like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and ours," Craig told this journalist.
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