Top KCSE student in Garissa gets full university scholarship from Hass Petroleum
Bahja, 18, is an orphan. Her father, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer, was killed in an Al-Shabaab attack in Somalia. Her mother later died from Covid-19.
Garissa's top female student in the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, Bahja Ahmed Shale, has received a full scholarship from Hass Petroleum to pursue a medical degree.
The company's Chief Executive Officer, Mohamud Salat, announced on his X account on Monday, stating that he had informed Bahja's family of the sponsorship.
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The decision to support Bahja was made by the Chairman of Hass Petroleum, Abdinasir Ali Hassan. Mohamud confirmed the sponsorship, saying, "The chairman and I assured her family that Hass Petroleum will undertake full sponsorship of her studies."
Bahja, 18, is an orphan. Her father, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer, was killed in an Al-Shabaab attack in Somalia. Her mother later died from Covid-19.
Despite these challenges, Bahja emerged as one of the top students from North Eastern Kenya, scoring an A- in the national exams.
She studied at Saka Girls Secondary School in Garissa County and expressed gratitude for the support she received from her family and teachers immediately after she received her KCSE results.
"I lost my mum to Covid-19 while I was doing my KCPE rehearsals in 2021, and my father, a former KDF officer, died in the line of duty in Somalia. All this remained a tormenting challenge in my journey, but by the grace of God, today I am elated celebrating my KCSE results," she said.
Overcame obstacles
Bahja credited her success to her siblings, teachers, and relatives who supported her education. She studied in a remote school in Balambala Sub-County, overcoming obstacles to achieve high grades.
A retired KDF veteran, Abdi Salat, who had served with her father at the Gilgil military camp, had earlier appealed for assistance to help Bahja join the university.
He recalled how her father and fellow KDF officers were killed in Somalia's Gedo region when their vehicle was hit by a homemade bomb during the Linda Nchi operation.
"She later lost her mother to Covid-19. She needs to be supported to achieve her dream," he said then.
Bahja's performance was significant in North Eastern Kenya, a region where girls' education still faces challenges.
The 2024 KCSE results showed that male candidates outnumbered female candidates in Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties.
Her scholarship from Hass Petroleum will cover her tuition and other expenses as she pursues a medical degree.
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