Vice-Chancellor Elisabeth Gachenga greets us with a warm smile as she explains the scope and activities of Strathmore University. She oversees the academic division of the institution.

Kenya is a country of 50 million people, many of whom reside in the capital, Nairobi, and its surrounding areas, where the university is located. Elisabeth says, “Kenya is known for its safaris, but there is so much more here.”

Strathmore is a small private university with a community of nearly 10,000 students. Its academic offerings range from technology to marketing and studies linked to industry. The university provides undergraduate and master’s programs and vocational training.

Elisabeth shares that the university’s history has been closely tied to foundations since its early days in the 1960s. It began with two schools that merged in 1993, forming the foundation of the current university. She recounts how Strathmore University has received interest-free loans allowing them to purchase land to construct their buildings. Support from Fomento de Fundaciones also helps fund scholarships for talented students with limited financial resources. The land purchases and the scholarships are supported through loans, which the university repays gradually, benefiting from Fomento de Fundaciones’ generous flexibility.