One student stood to speak while others listened. On September 14, before Human Development Fund (HDF) leaders toured classrooms or met university officials, their first priority at the Islamic University of Kenya was to hear from the students themselves.
They spoke about their studies, their aspirations and the role scholarship assistance plays in allowing them to continue their education. The Islamic University of Kenya scholarship partnership supports approximately 300 students from different countries across Africa, making it an important part of HDF’s education work in Kenya.
Students spoke first
The session gave scholarship students a direct opportunity to describe their experiences to HDF leadership. It also allowed the visiting delegation to hear how financial assistance connects with the work students are doing in their classrooms and the plans they are building beyond university.
HDF treats the scholarship as a long-term education investment because assistance continues through each student’s studies. That continuity matters. It helps students plan beyond the next term and remain focused on completing their education.
The partnership behind the scholarship
Later that day, HDF CEO Shaykh Abdirahman Kariye and the delegation met the university’s senior leadership. The meeting included Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Osman, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Dr. Mohamed Abdinoor Dahir, Vice Chancellor.
The two institutions reviewed the existing education partnership, student welfare and opportunities for continued collaboration. The conversation connected what students had shared earlier with the institutional work required to sustain scholarship assistance over time.
Seeing where students learn
The delegation toured teaching spaces, a computer laboratory and the university’s campus development plans. The visit placed the scholarship program within the wider learning environment students use every day.
Shaykh Abdirahman also planted a tree on campus with a student to mark the visit. A plaque records the occasion, but the more important outcome was the time spent listening to students and reviewing the partnership that supports their studies.
Follow-up after the formal visit
Three days later, HDF Chief Operating Officer Farooq Haque returned to the university with Dr. Mohammad Alshoboul, HDF MENA Regional Director, and members of the HDF team.
Students again addressed the session directly, while HDF staff briefed the Chief Operating Officer on the program and the countries represented among the students. The follow-up also included the university library and campus development model, extending the mission’s attention to the operational side of scholarship delivery.
The two visits reinforced a simple principle: education assistance is strongest when students are heard, partners remain engaged and follow-up continues after the formal meeting ends.
Explore HDF’s Global Scholarship Program and learn how sustained education assistance helps students continue their studies.
