Caren Murugi, a 25‑year‑old second‑year diploma journalism student at NIBS College in Ruiru, Kiambu, stood on Thika Road on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, holding a handwritten placard asking passersby for financial assistance.

She disclosed that she owes KSh 25,500 in tuition, has three months of unpaid rent and faces an examination fee – reported as either KSh 10,000 or 60 pounds – with her diploma slated for completion in December 2026.

Murugi’s father died when she was about 16, after which her mother initially covered her college fees until family hardships forced her to defer her studies.

During the deferral she worked on the family coffee farm, saving enough to re‑enrol between June and July 2026, at which time she paid the initial fees and three months’ rent in a single payment.

After returning to college she ran out of money before completing the course and chose not to ask her mother for further help, prompting the roadside appeal.

Content creators filmed the appeal and posted the footage on TikTok via the account FAGILIATV, which attracted online attention and a number of phone calls, most of which were to verify her identity.

By the time the video circulated, Murugi had received approximately KSh 370 through M‑Pesa, a sum far short of the amounts she needs.

She said she remains determined, expressing faith that “God will come through” and reaffirming her intention to finish the diploma despite the financial strain.