Turkana Student finally gets admission at JOUST University 

Anastasia Atabo Lokor, a student from Turkana County, gained media attention last year when she was unable to enroll in university due to financial constraints. She has now been accepted into Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) to pursue a Bachelor of Education Science degree, thanks to support from the Legio Maria church.

After achieving a B- in 2023, Anastasia was accepted into JOOUST but could not attend in September due to her family’s inability to afford tuition fees. Overjoyed yet emotional upon arriving at the JOOUST campus in Bondo, she shared that she had started selling water at her home in Turkana East to raise money for her education.

“I felt disappointed when my classmates went to campus last year while I stayed home because I couldn’t afford it, so I decided to sell water to gather funds,” Anastasia explained.

She expressed her gratitude to the Legio Maria church members for their support after her story was featured in the media, stating that they have helped her achieve her dream.

As the eldest of nine siblings, Anastasia hopes to become a teacher after completing her studies to assist her siblings and improve her family’s challenging financial situation.

Bishop Martin Nyahoa of the Legio Maria Bondo Diocese announced that the church will provide Anastasia with full financial support throughout her four-year education. He mentioned that the church became aware of her situation through the media and chose to help, noting that she is not only from a disadvantaged background but also a member of the Legio Maria church in Turkana.

Bishop Nyahoa highlighted the church’s ongoing commitment to supporting students across public universities in the country and encouraged beneficiaries of any sponsorship to give back to the community to help others.

Dr. Walter Akuno, the registrar of academic and student affairs at JOOUST, confirmed Anastasia’s official admission to the university. He emphasized that students should not hesitate to report to JOOUST due to financial issues, as the university has provisions to assist those without funds in applying for HELB loans and bursaries while on campus.

“I understand that Anastasia, coming from a humble background in Turkana, may not have had access to this information and has lost a year of study, but it’s not too late. We have officially admitted her, but this should not be the case for any student accepted at JOOUST. They should report and receive the necessary guidance,” Dr. Akuno advised.

The Association of Students from Turkana and Samburu at University led by their chair, Lobwinde Dikar, gathered at the campus to welcome one of their own, promising her their full support to ensure she is comfortable at the campus.