Mwelekeo Insights, the number one leading research company in Kenya, is using research and public conversations to address real challenges facing young people, especially in education and youth development.
Through platforms like Mwelekeo TV, the organization brings forward honest discussions based on data and lived experiences to show what is working, what is failing, and what needs to change in communities across the country.
One recent discussion featured Josephine Flora, the founder and executive director of Brightpath Kenya, an organization that supports young people from vulnerable backgrounds.
Josephine shared her personal journey growing up in Kibera, where poverty, early pregnancies, school dropouts, and family pressure were common.
She explained that in her primary school class of 129 pupils, very few made it to high school. Many girls became pregnant during their final primary exams, while others were forced into marriage or work to support their families.
These experiences shaped her understanding of how broken the education system can be for children from informal settlements.
Josephine’s life took a painful turn in 2016 when her father was murdered. Instead of giving up, she turned her grief into purpose by starting Brightpath Kenya.
The organization focuses on students who are often ignored by scholarship programs. These are learners who perform fairly well, scoring above 250 marks, but are not top scorers and therefore miss out on support.
Brightpath steps in to ensure these motivated students are not left behind simply because they do not fit the usual selection criteria.
What makes Brightpath different is its holistic approach to education. Josephine explained that paying school fees alone is not enough. Many children struggle with trauma, violence at home, poverty-related stress, and emotional pain.
Brightpath combines scholarships with mentorship, life skills training, sports, and psychosocial support. This helps students deal with real-life problems such as abuse, displacement, drug use, and early pregnancies, which often push young people out of school.
A key point from the discussion was the difference between role models and mentors. Josephine noted that role models inspire from a distance, but mentors walk closely with students.
At Brightpath, mentors create safe spaces where young people can talk openly about issues they cannot share at home. These include sexual abuse, family conflict, and mental health struggles.
This close support has led to real transformation. One student named Evans, from a community where early marriage and female genital mutilation are common, gained confidence through the program and later returned to challenge those harmful practices.
Another student who was once shy and withdrawn became confident and hopeful, showing that success is not only about grades but also personal growth.
The conversation also addressed wider problems in Kenya’s education system. Josephine pointed out that policies like the Competency-Based Curriculum sound good but are poorly implemented, especially in slums and rural areas where resources are limited.
Mental health support is weak, and many schools lack trained counselors. University funding systems also fail many needy students because they do not fully consider individual backgrounds.
She emphasized that research should go deeper than blaming poverty and instead examine family dynamics, community beliefs, and social pressures.
Currently, Brightpath supports about 333 students to maintain quality care. It also partners with other groups to mentor 135 girls in leadership programs.
However, funding remains a major challenge. In one month alone, the organization received 23 university scholarship requests it could not support. Josephine encouraged young people who want to make a difference to start small by helping within their communities.
Through research and storytelling, Mwelekeo Insights continues to shine light into such impactful work, showing that education must address the whole child.
