Nelly Cheboi reveals Raila's influential role in her getting university education

CNN Hero award winner Nelly Cheboi has said Azimio La Umoja Leader Raila Odinga gave her Sh300,000 to purchase an air ticket to the United State. 

In an undated video, the 29-year-old TechLit Africa CEO said she had been awarded a scholarship opportunity to study in America and didn't have money for her air ticket. 

"I had won a scholarship to study in America, I didn't have air tickets yet I was supposed to travel in two weeks, I kept telling people, until I met Raila who gave me Sh300,000," she said. 

Cheboi also said she was assisted by her then area MP who organised for her passport, which was released in two days. 

"Mimi ni Nelly, nilienda Mary Hill Girls High School, nilipata A in my KCSE, nikapata Scholarship ya America na sina hata passport, my MP alinisaidia nikapata passport na two days, " she said. 

This is loosely translated to: "My name is Nelly, I went to Mary Hills High School, I attained a mean grade of A in KCSE and was awarded an American Scholarship to further my studies. I didn't have a passport at the time, my MP heard about it, and my passport was out in two days."

Cheboi was on December 2 named the 2022 CNN Hero of the Year.

She had in 2019 quit a lucrative software engineering job in Chicago to create computer labs for Kenyan schoolchildren. 

According to CNN, she and the other top 10 CNN heroes honoured at gala will all receive a $10,000 (Sh1.2 million) cash award and an additional grants, organisational training and support from The Elevate Prize Foundation through a new collaboration with CNN Heroes.

She was also named an Elevate Prize winner, which comes with a $300,000 (Sh36.9 million) grant and additional support worth $200,000 for her non-profit.