Nylund Foundation support enables education and safety for girls who have escaped FGM in Kenya with Bez Ry
Bez ry is a Finnish charitable association that supports girls in vulnerable situations in Narok, Kenya, particularly those who have escaped female genital mutilation. The association provides support for education, housing, living costs, and vocational training.

The Nylund Foundation has supported Bez ry and, through this cooperation, helped Kenyan girls move forward in their lives.
Through education grants provided by the Nylund Foundation, Bez ry has supported the schooling of girls who have fled FGM and forced marriage. Most of these girls have now completed their basic education, and some have graduated from vocational training programmes and gone on to start small businesses in their home areas. Girls who have completed their studies have also been able to return safely to their communities, following long-term mediation processes between the girls and Maasai community leaders.
Our Kenyan partner, the Osiligi Rescue and Empowerment Network, is led by Susan Kasero, who since 2018 has shown exceptional dedication in supporting every aspect of the girls’ education and daily lives after they escaped FGM. She continues to play a crucial role in the success of community mediation efforts.

With support from the Nylund Foundation, Bez ry has also been involved in building a Safe and Learning Centre for girls in Narok. The centre, which includes three classrooms and small accommodation facilities, was completed in 2023. It hosts courses in sewing, computer skills, and hairdressing, and also provides emergency accommodation for girls in need. The centre serves a wide range of girls and women across the Narok area. A biogas-powered energy system is currently being installed, providing sustainable gas for kitchen use in line with environmentally responsible development.

The association’s website is bez.fi

Nylund Foundation grants support girls’ education and health in Tanzania with SchoolKids Light ry
SchoolKids Light ry is an association based in Inkoo, Finland, with around 190 members. Its mission is to support the education and health of children and young people in Tanzania, with a particular focus on those with disabilities and young people with albinism. Funding from the Nylund Foundation has supported 13 schools in northern Tanzania, reaching a total of approximately 11,000 pupils, including young women studying healthcare or education.
Grants provided by the foundation have been used for infrastructure and water supply projects. These include the construction of a full school building, girls’ sanitation facilities, a borehole, a water tower, and greenhouses. In addition, the foundation has funded school uniforms and school fees for girls, as well as sewing machines, keyboards, beds, and mattresses. All funds raised are transferred in full to their intended recipients.

Christina Piniel Memireki, a medical student, and Dorah Gidion Njamakuya, a future nutritionist, are both orphans who have been able to finance their studies with support from the Nylund Foundation.

Nylund Foundation grants support young women’s higher education in Zimbabwe with Zimbabwen lapset ry
Zimbabwen lapset ry is a Finnish association that supports children’s education in Dzivarasekwa, a low-income area of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. The association focuses on supporting the most disadvantaged children who would otherwise have no access to schooling. Around two thirds of the children supported by the programme are girls. For pupils who perform well academically, the aim is to enable them to continue their studies at upper secondary level and, where possible, in further education. However, the high costs of post-secondary studies are difficult to cover through sponsorship alone.

With support from the Nylund Foundation, university studies at Zimbabwean universities have been made possible for six talented young women whose educational paths would otherwise have come to an end. Their fields of study range from politics and public administration to chemical engineering, financial mathematics, and medicine. Two of the supported students have already graduated and completed their degrees.

The foundation’s support has covered university tuition fees, housing and food costs, health and hygiene expenses, and learning materials. In addition, the funding has enabled two graduates to take part in graduation ceremonies.
Thanks to the support of the Nylund Foundation, these young women are able to complete their studies and move forward with confidence.

Nylund Foundation grants support young women’s higher education in Kenya with Nakurun Lapset ry
Nakurun Lapset ry is a child sponsorship organisation that supports a local partner organisation working with orphaned and low-income children in the city of Nakuru, Kenya. Each Finnish sponsor is paired with a named sponsored child and supports the child’s education through primary school and upper secondary education.

The association’s goal is to support sponsored children in continuing their studies to higher education or vocational qualifications. As these studies are significantly more expensive, not all sponsors are able to cover the costs alone. The association therefore raises additional funds to support further education. Depending on the programme, studies typically last three to five years if completed without interruption.

Support from the Nylund Foundation began in 2013 and has continued almost annually since then. The foundation is the largest single supporter of students within the programme and plays a crucial role in making higher education possible. The foundation supports young women’s university studies by covering tuition and study-related costs either in full or in part, together with support from individual sponsors. To date, 26 young women have completed a university degree with the help of the foundation’s support.
Through sponsorship, an orphaned child or the child of a low-income single parent can gain access to basic living conditions from as early as the age of six. Primary education typically ends at around 18 years of age. When the opportunity for higher education or vocational training can be provided after this, a young person who initially had little prospect of a future is given a genuine chance for a dignified life in Kenya.

Thanks to the support of the Nylund Foundation, young Kenyan women within the programme are able to achieve a university degree and build a sustainable future.

Finn Church Aid (FCA): Nylund Foundation grants support education and hope for the future
Finn Church Aid (FCA) is Finland’s largest international aid organisation. FCA works in 12 countries in some of the world’s most vulnerable contexts, supporting communities through education, livelihoods, and peacebuilding. Its goal is to help people build their own futures in a sustainable, just, and dignified way. The work is grounded in strong local ownership and partnerships, ensuring that results endure beyond times of crisis.

Education is one of the most effective ways to bring stability and protection in crisis-affected areas. It gives children and young people the opportunity to plan for the future, even in situations marked by uncertainty or violence. In 2024, nearly 600,000 students were able to attend school with support from FCA.

Of these students, 48.8 per cent were girls. Through FCA’s programmes, more than 840 school buildings were constructed or renovated, and over 10,000 teachers received in-service training. The education of children with disabilities was supported through accessible learning environments and assistive devices, ensuring that schooling is possible for all.

The Nylund Foundation has supported FCA’s education work in Kenya and Uganda, with a particular focus on refugees and host communities. In Uganda, support includes the construction of classrooms, teacher training, vocational education for young people, and psychosocial support for students and staff. In Kenya, education is supported in the Kalobeyei and Kakuma refugee settlements. In addition, digital learning solutions are being developed and teacher mentoring programmes are implemented.

Education is one of the most impactful ways to reduce poverty, prevent conflict, and support peace. Through its work, FCA helps build hope and future opportunities where they are needed most.

University of Jyväskylä: long-term cooperation with the Nylund Foundation in support of women students
In the context of rising tuition fees, increasing living costs, and global economic challenges, the foundation has been an important source of support, particularly for students coming to Jyväskylä from the least developed countries, as defined by the DAC list of ODA recipients. Thanks to the foundation’s grants, our students have been able to focus fully on their studies and develop both academically and personally.

This support not only improves the student experience but also strengthens the University of Jyväskylä’s international profile and commitment to inclusion.

Supporting university students arriving in Finland from Ukraine
The situation in Ukraine and the experiences of Ukrainian students have deeply affected many. Between 2022 and 2025, the Nylund Foundation played a significant and meaningful role in supporting Ukrainian students who came to study at Aalto University. The financial support provided offered stability and a sense of security during an exceptionally uncertain time.
Aalto University offered study places to university students arriving from Ukraine and raised donations to cover the students’ monthly living costs in Finland from early spring 2022 until summer 2025.

You can read more about the impact of this support and its concrete significance for the students on Aalto University’s website:
https://www.aalto.fi/fi/lahjoita-tulevaisuus/tue-ukrainan-opiskelijoita