105 New Scholarships Awarded

NawiriGroup in partnership with Kamitei Foundation have awarded scholarships to 105 students in Tanzania from rural communities around Nyerere, Ruaha and the Usangu Wetlands. The group includes 45 girls and 60 boys who will begin vocational training at VETA College in Arusha later this year.

Selection took place through in-person interviews held in June. Most of the students come from families with limited income, so without this support wouldn’t have had access to further education. Courses the students will be enrolled on include hospitality, catering and related practical skills. These areas match local job markets and provide a route into paid work. A second round of interviews will take place in July for students in northern Tanzania.

This work is part of our wider approach to expanding access to quality education, which is essential for building resilient communities around the ecosystems we support. Education provides individuals with skills and opportunities, opening doors to diverse livelihoods. In these rural landscapes schooling often stops at the primary level. Secondary completion rates remain low and formal training opportunities are limited. Many students leave school without any recognised skills, especially girls. At the same time, tourism continues to grow in these areas. There is a clear skill gap between the industries operating nearby and the communities living alongside them.

The scholarship programme aims to bridge this. It focuses on education that leads directly to jobs. VETA College trains students for work in tourism, catering and service sectors. Graduates often go on to work in lodges, camps, or travel operations in their home regions. This keeps talent local and connects families to the formal economy.

Education opens up options. When more young people can access relevant training, more people can enter formal work. That reduces reliance on subsistence farming or extractive livelihoods. It also shifts local thinking around conservation. People are more likely to support it when it creates income, not just restrictions on land use.

UNESCO estimates that worldwide, poverty rates would drop by over 50% if every child completed basic education. Vocational training adds to this by helping young people move into jobs, especially in areas where higher education isn’t realistic or available.

The students selected in June will travel to Arusha in time for the August intake. Interviews for the next group begin shortly.