From security gates to the operating room

Jane Kubai ran away from home at 11. Now, she’s a powerful advocate for education and has plans to become a surgeon. Copyright: Michael Kaloki.

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<h1>From security gates to the operating room</h1>
<h4></h4>
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<p><strong>Season 2, Episode 9</strong></p>
<p>When Jane Kubai fled forced marriage at the age of 11, she began working as a maid and found support to go to school. She later took a job as a security guard at a hospital in Kenya — and discovered a passion for surgery. Working day and night, Kubai studied to become a theatre technologist. And she has her eyes fixed firmly on becoming a surgeon.</p>
<p>Recently recognised as a health hero by the <a href="https://www.womeningh.org/">Women in Global Health</a> network, Kubai has inspired her former security colleagues to also enrol in training courses. “They’re not supposed to stay where they started, you’re supposed to make a step forward in your life,” she tells reporter Michael Kaloki, as he joins her on a tour of her hospital in Kenya’s Nakuru county.</p>
<p><strong><em>Africa Science Focus</em></strong><strong>, with Halima Athumani. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Learn more about <a href="https://www.scidev.net/role-models/qa-i-want-to-be-an-ambassador-for-the-voiceless/">Jane Kubai’s career</a></strong><br />
<a href="https://www.carnegie.org/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1894676 lazyload" data-src="https://www.scidev.net/wp-content/uploads/Carnegie1.png" alt="Carnegie" width="426" height="200" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" style="--smush-placeholder-width: 426px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 426/200;" /><noscript><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1894676 lazyload" data-src="https://www.scidev.net/wp-content/uploads/Carnegie1.png" alt="Carnegie" width="426" height="200" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" style="--smush-placeholder-width: 426px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 426/200;" /><noscript><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1894676" src="https://www.scidev.net/wp-content/uploads/Carnegie1.png" alt="Carnegie" width="426" height="200" /></noscript></noscript></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>This programme was funded by the <a href="https://www.carnegie.org/">Carnegie Corporation of New York</a>.</em></p>
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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/podcast/from-security-gates-to-the-operating-room/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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Season 2, Episode 9

When Jane Kubai fled forced marriage at the age of 11, she began working as a maid and found support to go to school. She later took a job as a security guard at a hospital in Kenya — and discovered a passion for surgery. Working day and night, Kubai studied to become a theatre technologist. And she has her eyes fixed firmly on becoming a surgeon.

Recently recognised as a health hero by the Women in Global Health network, Kubai has inspired her former security colleagues to also enrol in training courses. “They’re not supposed to stay where they started, you’re supposed to make a step forward in your life,” she tells reporter Michael Kaloki, as he joins her on a tour of her hospital in Kenya’s Nakuru county.

Africa Science Focus, with Halima Athumani.

Learn more about Jane Kubai’s career