33-year-old woman receives scholarship to study medicine at MKU

Mount Kenya University has a 33-year-old woman a fully-paid scholarship to study Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery commencing September 2022.

In December last year, a photo of Milly Nafula while donning a red head scuff and an almost ragged dress, while operating a posh mill in her remote village in Trans Nzoia County in Western Kenya emerged on social media.

Unknown to many, Nafula had scored an A minus in her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination fourteen years ago but could not join University due to her humble background.

Now a mother of two, her dream of becoming a doctor seemed like a distant reality as she embarked on manual jobs to eke a living for her young family.

MKU founder and chairman Prof Simon Gicharu traveled to Nafula’s home and issued her with the scholarship to actualize her dream of becoming a medical doctor much to her disbelief.

The university will also cater for her tuition, accommodation and book expenses with a full scholarship worth Ksh 3.5 million.

MKU also bequeathed her with a piece of land and a house for her family.

Nafula, promised to work hard and committed to serve the community after graduation.

“I’m going to work hard and make my sponsor proud. I know I have a huge expectation ahead of me but I’m determined,” she said

According to Gicharu the varsity’s Board had agreed to support Nafula by funding her education and providing other emoluments.

“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 was not admitted to a university. We will give her a scholarship. This will enable her actualise her dream,’ Gicharu said.

After clearing her Form Four, Nafula unsuccessfully attempted to reach the university placement board by writing several letters to the government agency.

“I did not get my letter at the time I expected it. I went to the principal to raise the issue and I was told that the school had not received my letter from JAB. I was also advised to go to Nairobi to ask about the matter but because I could not afford the fare, I wrote a letter to the board through the District Officer in Kitale in 2009. He sent the letter but there was no response,” the mother of two explained.