Edgar Onyango

He applied for funding to create opportunities for online students to connect with one another and organised in-person meet-ups for University of Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars in Kenya.

"It was really special to be recognised in that way, particularly because so much of my experience at Edinburgh has been about connection."

Bridging health and impact

Edgar’s interest in One Health grew from a desire to bring together his academic knowledge of biomedical engineering and health-related communications to make a difference to healthcare in Kenya.

"I was motivated by a desire to use health communication to make complex health information more accessible and understandable to people."

For him, effective communication is an important part of addressing complex health challenges.

His approach was influenced in part by the Covid-19 pandemic and the way simple, accessible messages around handwashing helped people understand the role they could play in protecting health.

"It showed me the importance of communicating health information in a way that people can understand and relate to."

One Health offered an opportunity to explore the connections between different areas of health, while developing the knowledge and skills to communicate those issues more effectively.

Finding a community online

Although Edgar studied remotely from Kenya, he developed a strong link with the School.

"I felt a very warm connection to the School, even as an online student."

He particularly valued the support of student advisers and teaching staff, who he found consistently willing to help students get the most from their studies.

"The heart of the teaching team came through in their desire for students to truly understand the subject matter, rather than just pass."

One experience in particular stayed with him.

"An academic remembered something I had said during the welcome introductions and asked me to expand on it several months later."

For Edgar, this demonstrates the level of engagement he experienced throughout the programme.

"It showed me that they were really listening. There was always a willingness and openness to share, and I knew the staff were there for me."

He found this reflected in the prompt responses to questions, engaged discussions and collaborative approach of the teaching team.

Bringing students together

Edgar’s experience as an online student also inspired him to create opportunities for others to connect.

Through his work with fellow Mastercard Foundation Scholars, he has brought together students who might otherwise have experienced their studies separately.

His recent visit to Edinburgh provided another opportunity to strengthen those connections, this time with students on campus.

Looking ahead

As Edgar graduates with his Postgraduate Diploma in One Health, he hopes to continue bringing together his interests in health, communication and impact.

His focus on accessible health communication remains important to him, with Kenya providing an important context for his work.

His time at Edinburgh has also reinforced the value of collaboration and connection.

"I’ve learned that studying is not just about the qualification. It’s also about the people you meet, the conversations you have and what you can do with what you learn."

From studying online in Kenya to being recognised in the University’s McEwan Hall at graduation, Edgar’s Edinburgh journey has connected academic study with a wider ambition: to use knowledge, communication and community to make a difference in health.