When 26-year-old Sheila Jepkorir Chebii boarded a plane at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on April 4, 2026 for Australia, her family believed she was embarking on a life-changing academic journey.

What began as a journey filled with hope and promise has, however, ended in heartbreak for her family in Elgeyo Marakwet County after she died last weekend under unclear circumstances, slightly over a month after arriving in Sydney, Australia, for further studies.