is to provide hope to underprivileged children by investing in their education and assisting them with their academic needs.
The goal of the Mukusu Scholarship Program
We are a not-for-profit organization that provides full scholarships, mentoring, educational tools, health care, and other services to qualifying students and their families.
We were originally affiliated with Daylight Center and School in Kapenguria, Kenya. Daylight School opened in 2008, and now (2024) has 400+ students!
As Daylight School transitions to a more fully self-supporting endeavor through school fees for families who can afford it, the U.S. Board has chosen to focus on at-risk children who cannot afford school fees, expenses and health care. (Students who are alumni, are currently attending or wish to attend Daylight.)
The Scholarship program aims to have a clear and transparent framework, policy and process that is responsive and targeted toward student success.
Under the Mukusu Tree is a book written in 2016 by Daylight’s 8th grade class. The book is collection of traditional stories of the Pokot, Turkana, and Karamoja tribes of northwest Kenya. The 8th graders sat under a giant Mukusu tree as they wrote and transcribed stories of the nomadic peoples of northwest Kenya.
We liked the metaphor image of comparing a tree to education… From the roots and trunk, to the branches and leaves – representing growth, values, hope, strength, protection, and history.
As a legacy to Daylight School, the name “Mukusu”
seemed appropriate for this scholarship program.
In 2024, as a legacy of Daylight Center and School in Kenya, the U.S. Board decided to take a different approach to funding the children’s education.
We have moved away from supporting Daylight’s general operations as a primary school, to supporting poor and at-risk children for secondary school.
With a new name – Mukusu Scholarship Program – and direction, we are excited to continue helping the children of Kenya
There are very few good, free-of-cost options for secondary schools in Kenya, so this is an important gap to fill. These scholarships are being given primarily to children who have completed 8th grade. Although we do support a few primary students with scholarships.
Most of the high schoolers are graduates of Daylight Center and School. The students’ families are well-vetted as needing financial help.
All funds we receive from you, our loyal donors, will be directed to: school tuition, health care needs, and personal needs for secondary school students in West Pokot County, Kenya.
We believe this secondary scholarship program continues the goals Nathan Roberts and Michael Kimpur set out as founders of Daylight Model School 15 years ago.
We are excited to be supporting these young people through these scholarships - giving children who would otherwise not be able to attend secondary school the chance to change their lives. We are giving them HOPE.
Children who had no hope, no food, no education are attending secondary school and are becoming the leaders of a new generation.