LG’s Sh15 million STEM, Agriculture programme expands to Nandi, Makueni communities

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LG Electronics East Africa and Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI) have invested Sh2 million in beekeeping and science education projects in Nandi and Makueni counties to support rural livelihoods and improve access to practical learning.

The two organisations have handed over a beekeeping initiative in Sisia village, Nandi County, and a science laboratory and digital learning facility at Syiluni Primary and Junior Secondary School in Makueni County.

The projects were funded under the seventh edition of the LG Ambassador Challenge, a corporate social responsibility programme that supports community-led initiatives addressing local economic and social challenges.

In Nandi, the Sisia Village Sustainable Beekeeping and Economic Empowerment Initiative has trained 40 youths and women in modern beekeeping, while 30 households have received modern beehives and harvesting equipment.

The initiative is expected to benefit about 120 people and produce up to 1,500 kilogrammes of honey annually, providing an additional source of income for participating households.

The project also seeks to promote climate-resilient agriculture and biodiversity through improved pollination.

Vincent Kiprotich, the project’s leader, said the initiative had equipped local residents with the skills and tools needed to develop a sustainable honey business.

“The project has given our women and youth a tangible way to earn an income. Receiving the modern hives and training has changed our perspective on farming,” he said.

In Makueni, Syiluni Primary and Junior Secondary School has received a fully equipped science laboratory and a digital learning facility fitted with 10 computers.

The facilities are expected to improve access to practical science lessons and digital literacy training for learners in the rural community.

Stellamaris Musau, the school’s head teacher, said the new facilities would enable learners to gain practical experience in science and computer studies, subjects they previously studied largely through theory.

The investment comes amid efforts to expand access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education by providing schools with facilities for practical learning.

Jane Kariuki, head of marketing at LG Electronics East Africa, said the projects reflected the company’s approach of supporting solutions developed by local communities.

“Seeing these projects transition from ambitious proposals into fully operational, community-owned assets is deeply gratifying,” she said.

Kariuki added that the initiative was intended to create economic opportunities and improve access to education.

Now in its seventh year, the LG Ambassador Challenge has invested more than Sh15 million in grassroots projects across Kenya, with the company reporting that the programme has reached more than 1,000 people.

This year’s handovers build on previous beneficiaries, including Decipe Children’s Home and Rebirth of a Queen, which received support under earlier editions of the initiative.