Milly Nafula Barasa, the ‘A-student’ who failed to join university and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor 14 years ago, has finally been offered her full scholarship as promised by Mount Kenya University (MKU) in December last year.
MKU founder and Board of Directors chairperson Prof. Simon Gicharu on Friday, February 25 handed over the scholarship certificate to Nafula at an event held at Equip Africa College of Medical and Health Sciences, Kitale, Trans Nzoia County.
The scholarship, which is worth KSh3.5 million will enable Nafula finally achieve her dream. It will cover tuition fees for her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degree course, accommodation and book expenses.
Prof. Gicharu said that the MKU Board of Directors will support Nafula by funding her education and provide her with other emoluments. She was also bequeathed with a piece of land and a house has been completed for her.
Milly Nafula promises to work hard
Nafula promised to work hard and make MKU proud, insisting that she will serve the community after graduation.
“I’m going to work hard and make my sponsor proud,” the mother of two said. “I know I have a huge expectation ahead of me but I’m determined.”
Milly Nafula’s plight
Prof. Gicharu was touched when Nafula’s plight came to light in December 2021.
She wrote her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam at Manor High School, Kitale in 2007. Her mean grade of A- was of 71 points.
Owing to lack of school fees, knocking doors here and there that were all unopened, she resorted to working at a Posho mill.
“I was touched when I saw her story on TV. I asked myself, how can we as Kenyans allow her to stay at home for so many years just because she can’t afford to join university. I would like to inform this congregation that we will give a scholarship to her,” Prof. Gicharu said during MKU’s 20th Graduation Ceremony at Thika Main Campus in December 10.
MKU Scholarships
The MKU scholarship is not the first that the institution has offered to students who had reached the end of their financial tether.
During the 20th graduation ceremony, one of the graduands Daniel Sifa Wanje studied Clinical Medicine on full scholarship. In 2017, he had offered to sell his kidney to raise fees before Prof. Gicharu, through the MKU Foundation, stepped in and offered him the scholarship.
Other successful MKU scholarship beneficiaries include Jespher Nyaboke who travelled from Kisii County to Thika Main Campus with nothing but an admission letter and the clothes on her back (she survived on sweets and water until Prof. Gicharu intervened), and Moses Thuo to whom desperation had shunted to the mundane life as welder, never mind his B-Minus grade in KCSE.
Article by: TV47
