Investing in Futures: Supporting Higher Education
Maarifa Futures Scholarships
Education opens doors — but for many young people from Maasai communities in Kenya, those doors remain firmly closed beyond high school. While secondary education is already a significant hurdle, pursuing higher education is even more challenging.
The reality is stark:
In rural communities like the Mara and Amboseli, fewer than 5% of students who complete high school progress to college or vocational training.
The cost of tuition, travel, and living expenses places higher education completely out of reach for most Maasai youth, despite their talents and ambitions.
Yet, careers in wildlife tourism and conservation — vital sectors in these regions — require specialized training and qualifications. Without access to further education, young Maasai people are often excluded from participating in industries that exist in their own backyards.
We are so proud to introduce the Maarifa Futures Scholarships
Maarifa Futures - College
Supporting young adults train to become a qualified and ethical safari guide is our very first initiative in supporting higher education.
In 2025, our very first scholarship recipient, Anthony Lapiyia Lenkishon, will attend the prestigious Wildlife Tourism College of Maasai Mara (WTC) — the leading training institution dedicated to equipping the Maasai people for careers in wildlife tourism and conservation.
Anthony, from the Selenkay community in Amboseli, is a trailblazer. His scholarship covers the full cost of tuition at $2,400 USD per year, an amount that would otherwise be an impossible barrier for most students in his community.
Thanks to this remarkable support from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, we are thrilled to announce that one promising young Maasai leader will receive the Maarifa Futures Scholarship every two years, opening life-changing opportunities for careers in tourism, conservation, and community leadership.
Maarifa Futures - Gold Guide Accreditation
Ben Tongoyo and Bill Kupai are valued members of The Maarifa Foundation team, serving in a volunteer capacity. Both are KPSGA-registered Silver-level safari guides with years of experience working at ethical safari camps in the Mara wildlife conservancies where we operate. Ben joined our team in 2021 as our Mara Maarifa Coordinator and Bill in 2023, representing Oloibormurt Primary School. As respected elders, they tirelessly promote conservation — not just within their own communities but also to the hundreds of guests they guide on safari each year.
Thanks to the support from Lisa Grant and Sports Stadiums Victoria we are able to honour their incredible contributions and support their continued growth by sponsoring their journey to achieve Gold KPSGA Accreditation. This milestone will help them rise to the top of their field and enhance their platform to inspire positive change for wildlife, conservation, and their communities.
Our Maarifa Futures Scholarships are more than just financial assistance — they are an investment in the future of the Maasai people, their culture, and the conservation of their lands.
With your support, we can continue to expand this program and create more pathways to higher education for talented Maasai students and professionals looking to extend. Together, we are building a future where youth can become the stewards and storytellers of their own landscapes.
