In 2025, Mpala Research Centre and Daraja Academy re-established their close partnership, grounded in their shared goals of empowering youth, advancing education, and promoting conservation efforts across Kenya. This collaboration offers Daraja students research experience, environmental conservation knowledge, and professional development opportunities.
Through Daraja’s Transition Program, an internship placement process for recent graduates, Mpala hosts interns for conservation-focused work and career mentorship. From April to June 2025, Mpala welcomed Daraja interns Shakira Mwendwa and Caroline Mwende, who gained field and lab experience while receiving guidance on scholarship and university applications.
Beyond internships, the partnership connects Daraja students with monthly research dissemination sessions, immersive field trips to Mpala, and programming related to global environmental days. Together, Mpala and Daraja are revitalizing the Daraja conservation club by developing a tailored curriculum that offers student certifications.
Daraja Academy is advancing renewable energy integration on their campus, drawing inspiration and technical support from Mpala’s solar-powered systems. Looking ahead, the two institutions will host school-wide Conservation Days, sharing research insights with students and educators throughout the region.
A long-standing commitment
Mpala has a long-standing commitment to supporting education and conservation in Kenya. For many years, we have partnered with Daraja Academy, a secondary school dedicated to empowering young women through education. This collaboration reflects a shared mission: to foster learning, leadership, and environmental stewardship among the next generation.
In a significant step forward, Mpala and Daraja Academy have formalized this partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU outlines a collaborative framework aimed at enhancing student learning, promoting conservation awareness, and advancing sustainable solutions.
The Mpala-Daraja Academy partnership is an investment in the future of conservation through education. By combining Daraja’s learning environment with Mpala’s scientific expertise, we are building pathways for young women to thrive as environmental leaders. This collaboration not only supports student growth but also contributes to a more sustainable and resilient planet.
