A student from Kenya is looking for sponsorship to do an online degree with the University College Isle of Man.

Nicolas Rotitch graduated with a diploma in ICT from a college in Kenya in 2019.

Mary Stewart, manager of Archbishop Okoth Vocational Training Centre, the college Mr Rotitch attended for his diploma for 16-year-old students and above, said the 25-year-old was sponsored for his three years of study by a woman from St Anthony’s Church in Onchan who wished to remain anonymous.

She said Mr Rotitch, who is from Kericho County, could not have afforded to complete his studies without the sponsorship. He was the only one in any of the 26 VTCs in Kisumu County to achieve a diploma in ICT.

Mr Rotitch is now a lecturer in ICT at Mrs Stewart’s college and said he would ‘do his best’ in the course when he got a sponsor.

Mrs Stewart, who used to teach biology at Ballakermeen, who is pictured with Mr Rotitch above, said: ‘He is an example that our students in Kenya want to learn and to get an education.

‘He came to me on a part-time basis, so he completed the computer packages and then it was noted he was pretty good at that, he was sponsored by a parishioner in Onchan and she funded him for the three years in which he was doing his diploma in ICT.

‘He completed it in 2019 and then I took him on as a tutor in September that year and he’s been lecturing in computer science here at the college since he graduated.

‘Because he only has a diploma he can only teach up to university level, he has to have a degree in ICT, and my thoughts were, because of my connection with the island, it would be very nice for him to do a course with the UCM.’

Mrs Stewart opened her college in 2006 after moving to Kenya following 20 years working at what was then Isle of Man College for 20 years as a programme manager.

She set up the VTC and the Freja Stewart Hansen Preparatory School in memory of her granddaughter Freja who died of cancer aged eight in 2013.

The VTC was opened in 2008 and the school in 2013.

Her experiences in the Isle of Man led her to speak with Mr Rotitch and he decided he would want to do a degree with the college but from Kenya.

Mr Rotitch has now applied to UCM to do the online ICT degree and is seeking sponsorship.

Contact [email protected] for more details or if you wish to sponsor him to do his degree.