Nairobi, Kenya, February 16, 2026. The Council on Persons with Disabilities has officially launched the 2026 disbursement of the Ustawi Scholarship Program. This program aims to make quality education accessible to all learners, no matter their abilities.
The program serves as a support system, including initiatives like Faulu, which focuses on learners in primary, secondary, and post-secondary special schools. Another initiative, Wezesha, offers vital support to bright but needy learners whose parents or guardians have disabilities.
In the 2026 academic year, the Ustawi Scholarship Program has provided KSh 59,277,149 to 2,201 learners with disabilities across 847 educational institutions in all 47 counties. To ensure quick access to funds, the Council has sent cheques to County Officers, who will deliver them directly to the schools.
“Education is the foundation of independence and self-reliance,” the Council stated. “It empowers Persons with Disabilities to contribute to national development on equal terms with every other citizen.”
Recognize and dignify Persons Living with Disability
The Council also recognizes the ongoing barriers to education access, including the lack of disability-friendly environments, insufficient assistive devices, financial hardships, and hidden costs like ongoing medication or managing severe conditions. To tackle these issues, programs such as the Autism and Other Related Developmental Disability Program (ARDD) provide funding for therapy, diagnostic testing, and essential supplies like diapers.
The Council has set up a dedicated Education and Mentorship Unit to ensure learners receive specialized support throughout their education. These efforts are supported by the Persons with Disabilities Act, No. 4 of 2025, which requires inclusive education, free basic education, and individualized assistance for learners with disabilities.
Partnerships with organizations like the Kenya Pipeline Foundation, which helps 282 learners through its Inuka Scholarship, and the KCB Foundation, which supports 100 learners, have played a key role in the program’s success. The Council encourages other partners to help expand access to education for all learners with disabilities.
Through the Ustawi Scholarship Program, the Council maintains that education is not a privilege, but a fundamental right and the most effective tool for social and economic change.
