The family of the Kenyan student who died while studying in Finland is yet to come to terms with the death of their son.
Kipkosgei Chirchir, the father of the deceased, says that the son, 28-year-old Rodgers Kipruto, took his life in a move that has shocked his family.
The 28-year-old quit his nursing job at Nakuru Level Five Hospital and enrolled for a degree in nursing at Laurea University’s Tikkurila campus.
His body was reportedly found hanging in his room days after his family reported him missing.
Speaking to Citizen Digital, the father recounted the last moments he had with his son before he passed on.
“I talked to my son three days before he died, my son complained on several occasions about the challenges he experienced there, we knew he was having a difficult time there but we never thought it was this extreme,” he said.
Chirchir noted his son’s frustrations in the foreign nation were caused by the stand-off between the county government and the universities they had partnered with on fees areas.
The student was airlifted to Finland under the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education programme. The parents were to pay school fees through a trust account, with the county government acting as a guarantor.
“We believed this opportunity would open doors for him and our family and the thought of him coming back home in a coffin is painful, my son was a people person and loved going to church,” said the father.
According to the father, they were promised that after paying the first instalment of school fees, his son would get a job and would help him cater for his school fees. The father noted that they did not have a fee structure or anything that would guide them.
“We were just asked to make a deposit of Ksh.950,000, we were not informed whether it was fees, accommodation or ticket fees. I pray to the county government to help us return our son to us so that we can give him a proper send-off,” he said.
“We were deceived into paying 70 per cent of the fees, which is Ksh.950,000 out of Ksh.1.2 million, and that the remaining 30 per cent would be paid by students who will be studying and working at the same time. How were they supposed to pay the remaining amount if the classes were full-time and they could not secure a job?” he lamented.
Leah Kosgey the mother of the deceased, pleaded with the government to intervene and have all students in Finland under the programme brought back home to their families alive and not dead like her son.
“Before he left the country, he told the neighbours that he will do everything to help once he is back, he wanted to make a difference in the community. Let my son be the last to suffer and die in this manner. He complained a lot, but said they were all struggling as a team,” she said.
