Best performing pupils from 13 counties, who are also beneficiaries of the Pupils Reward Scheme (PURES), were on Thursday, September 12, treated to a visit at the Ministry of Defence and Moi Airbase in Eastleigh.
This is the second time the beneficiaries of the program were visiting the Ministry of Defence, the first time being in February 2018, where 36 pupils were drawn from 16 counties.
The pupils were treated to and aircraft experience aboard a Dash-8 Military plane, and one of the pupils insisted on exploring the cockpit as well as have a mentorship session with Captain Catherine Ngaine, a military pilot.
KDF, through their facebook page, stated that the pupils were taken to Kenya Air Force (KAF) Headquarters in Eastleigh, Nairobi where they were introduced to the roles and functions of KAF by Major Peter Obare.
They also had an opportunity to learn about the various KAF squadrons and the role that they play in their day to day ventures.
Present during the event was Brigadier Kinuthia Chief of Planning and Policy, Lieutenant Colonel Wilson Yatich, PURES officials, Military Officers, and other service personnel.
PURES is a mentorship program that was initiated and launched on 19 May 2015, by President Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta to motivate learners to work hard in their studies and also to cultivate a desire among the youth to work hard and learn integrity in preparation for future leadership.
The first batch of beneficiaries comprised 25 boys and 23 girls from all counties who excelled in their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams in 2014.
In 2018, 46 beneficiaries of the PURES program were hosted at the treasury office where they were allowed to ask questions and receive answers on any issue concerning the Treasury.
The first lady, during the launch of the program, had stated that apart from the interacting and learning from each other in an open environment, the young achievers would also be allowed to visit various government institutions.
The program was hailed by Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during his visit to Kenya in 2018 as a noble and revolutionary program.
