Speech by Ms Florence wanja Regeonl head Ea,Business & Comercial Bankng stanbic ,Bank.

Story by Ayubu John Afrimedia Group news

.We have also added additional learning modules designed to equip learners with the right skills for the future, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, which is becoming increasingly important in today’s world.

Earlier, I mentioned the role we play in supporting school infrastructure. With the rollout of the new curriculum, many institutions have needed to expand their facilities by adding more classrooms. Supporting that expansion is another area where we contribute.

Equally important is supporting teachers. I was particularly touched by the story we heard earlier about Teacher Lucy. If a teacher is struggling or not well supported, there is only so much they can do in the classroom. As a bank, one of the areas we focus on is helping teachers improve their financial well-being and personal stability.

This includes supporting teachers to build their own homes, invest in small businesses, or supplement their income. Providing access to credit and financial support enables teachers to focus better on their work and ultimately deliver better learning outcomes for students.

But when we talk about the education ecosystem, we must remember that it is much broader than just schools and teachers. For example, for a child like Nuru to attend school, many other actors play a role. There is the uniform supplier, because many children cannot attend school without proper uniforms.

Recently, we launched a small initiative that provides interest-free loans to small entrepreneurs. When we visited some of the beneficiaries, we met two women who were school uniform tailors. They explained how access to even a small loan—about 10,000 shillings—had transformed their work.

Previously, with just 2,000 shillings, they could only buy a small amount of fabric. But with access to 10,000 shillings, they could purchase more materials, produce uniforms at a lower cost, and make them more affordable for families. This means more children can go to school with the uniforms they need.

This example shows the many ways the private sector can support education. Schools require laptops, laboratories, digital tools, and many other resources. By bringing the right partners together, we can help meet these needs and strengthen the entire ecosystem.

As countries continue to invest in programs that promote youth employment, entrepreneurship, and skills development, these efforts align closely with the goals of Vision 2040. The aim is to ensure that every child in Africa develops the foundation they need to learn, relate, and speech by  thrive.

Looking ahead to the future, the opportunity is enormous. According to projections, by 2050 Africa will have the largest workforce in the world. The continent’s population is expected to reach about 2.5 billion people, and approximately 1.5 billion of them will be between the ages of 15 and 64.

If we invest in foundational skills today, this demographic shift could become one of Africa’s greatest economic advantages.

In closing, as we unveil this new chapter for Mzizi Elimu Africa, let us reaffirm our shared responsibility to ensure that every child in Kenya—and across the continent—has the opportunity not only to learn, but to thrive.

11@As Standard Bank, we remain committed to walking this journey with you—championing partnerships and investing in systems that will shape Africa’s next generation.

Thank you, and congratulations to Mzizi Elimu Africa on this visionary milestone.