The Kenya Airlift Program: How We’ve Sent over 50 Kenyan Students Abroad on Scholarship

A relatively rural ward with an easy-to-forget name is rapidly becoming an household name, thanks to the stellar exploits of her representative at the Meru County Assembly. This is Abogeta West Ward, made global by her MCA – Hon. Dmk Kiogora – one of the brains behind the highly successful Kenya Airlift Program.

The Kenya Airlift Program is an award-winning program structured to alleviate financial challenges Kenyans face when pursuing dreams of furthering their studies in the US.

Hon. Dmk Kiogora in an undated image with two of his students (file image)

Not only does the program enable access to affordable American schools to study, but also facilitates funding for Masters’ Degree programs. This includes tuition, living and relocation expenses in the US.

The other person of interest in The Kenya Airlift Program is Bob Mwiti, the mercurial Managing Director of a US-based consulting company known as Appstec America. This firm is committed to helping immigrants secure education & IT job opportunities in the USA.

Both are Meru natives, but this partnership was borne of their experiences abroad.

Bob Mwiti moved to the USA in 2009, for college – and faced lots of challenges securing employment as an immigrant. He’d later land a job as a Systems Analyst/Consultant in a Fortune 500 company in the US – and later found the organisation to help ease transition for other immigrants.

Dmk Kiogora would become an MCA in Abogeta West, and join a bench marking trip to the US – ends up meeting Bob Mwiti. They’d agree on a partnership, make an effort to Airlift brilliant Kenyans who wish to study IT-related master’s programs at select Universities in USA.

Kenya Airlift Program Co-founder Bob Mwiti (file image)

The prolific politician has since become the face of the Kenya Airlift Program.

To help finance the program, he facilitated registration of The Airlift Sacco (TAS). The program has since weathered teething problems, and as at August 2022, managed to secure sponsorship – tuition, accommodation, travel and Visa – for over 50 scholars recruited across the republic to the USA.

There’s an autonomous application process via the program’s portal, with a detailed qualification and vetting process.

Minimum academic requirement to join this program is an aggregate of a B (plain) in KCSE and a Bachelor’s degree in any field. You must be willing to study an IT-related master’s degree in USA regardless of your Bachelor’s major.

It’s never been easier to study on scholarship, secure work and live in the USA.

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