'My little princess demands a lot of attention': how online learning helps mother-of-five earn a degree
A student success story with Pauline Omollo
Average read time: 10 mins
10 June 2026
With five children, a full-time career in property management and a household to run, relocating overseas to study was never an option for Pauline Omollo from Knight Frank Kenya Limited. Instead, the Nairobi-based professional is proving how online learning can open the door to a British degree without putting family life, work commitments or career ambitions on hold.
At 5:00 in the morning, while much of Nairobi is still asleep, Pauline Omollo's day is already underway.
There are school uniforms to organise, breakfasts to prepare and five children to shepherd through the morning rush. By 6:30 she is out of the house. Before 7:00, the children have been dropped at school. Shortly afterwards, she is at her desk managing commercial properties for Knight Frank across Kenya's capital city.
A degree that fits around motherhood and a career
For Pauline, studying for a degree could easily have remained an ambition filed away for another chapter of life.
“Being able to pursue a UK degree while staying in Kenya allowed me to balance career growth with family and professional commitments.”
As a working mother raising five children aged between one and a half and 16, attending lectures on a fixed timetable or relocating abroad to study simply was not realistic. What made the difference was finding a degree that could fit around the life she already had.
Today, Pauline is studying for a British degree - BSc (Hons) Real Estate Management - with the University of the Built Environment from more than 4,000 miles away, using online learning to balance professional development with work and family life.
"I wanted a programme that combined international standards with flexibility," she said. "The University stood out because of its reputation and the ability to apply what I learn directly to my work in property management here in Kenya."
A UK degree without moving countries
Studying online also meant she could access a UK qualification without the upheaval of moving countries.
"During the day, I try to maximise every available moment, whether that's listening to lecture materials during my commute or reviewing notes during lunch breaks."
"It was extremely important," she said of the university’s online learning model. "Relocating would have meant leaving behind my young family. Being able to pursue a UK degree while staying in Kenya allowed me to balance career growth with family and professional commitments."
And those commitments are plentiful. Pauline has built a busy career for herself, managing commercial properties across Nairobi. The role demands constant attention, from supporting tenants and landlords to overseeing day-to-day operations and reporting requirements.
"Online study is not only flexible but also empowering. It allows you to gain a world-class education without leaving behind your responsibilities or your community."
Alongside that sits a hectic family life. She and her husband are raising five children, and balancing motherhood, work and study requires what she describes as "intentional planning, flexibility and sacrifice".
Bite-sized learning
The flexibility of online learning has allowed her to weave study into the small spaces that exist within her day rather than waiting for large blocks of free time that never arrive.
"During the day, I try to maximise every available moment," she said. "Whether that's listening to lecture materials during my commute or reviewing notes during lunch breaks."
She added: "The biggest barrier is time. Traditional study would have required fixed schedules and physical attendance, which isn't practical in my line of work.
“Online learning gave me the flexibility to study at my own pace and fit coursework around property inspections, tenant meetings and reporting deadlines."
By evening, her attention turns back to family life.
"Especially my little princess," she laughed. "She demands a lot of attention from me, and understandably so, considering she is the only girl among four boys."
Homework, dinner and bedtime routines come first. Once the household has settled for the night, Pauline opens her laptop and begins studying.
"Some days can be exhausting," she admitted. "But having a programme that offers flexibility makes it manageable and sustainable."
A connected digital campus
One of the biggest surprises has been how connected she has felt despite studying thousands of miles from the UK.
Many prospective students assume online learning will feel isolating. Pauline's experience has been very different.
"I was pleasantly surprised by how interactive online learning can be," she said. "The discussions, case studies and access to resources made me feel connected to an international community, even though I'm thousands of miles away."
The impact is felt beyond the virtual classroom. The knowledge she gains through her studies frequently finds immediate applications in her work, helping her manage properties more effectively and approach professional challenges with fresh perspectives.
That direct connection between learning and practice has helped keep her motivated.
"I stay motivated by reminding myself of the bigger picture, how this qualification will enhance my career and open doors to new opportunities," she said. "I also draw motivation from seeing immediate applications of what I learn in managing properties more effectively."
Education woven into everyday life
For Pauline, perhaps the greatest benefit of online learning is that it has allowed education to become part of everyday life rather than something that competes with it.
"What has stood out most for me is that the structure of the degree allows me to continue growing professionally and academically without having to put my family responsibilities on hold," she said.
"It has truly helped me integrate learning into real life rather than separating the two."
For anyone in Kenya, or elsewhere in the world, wondering whether higher education can fit alongside work and family commitments, her message is straightforward.
"Go for it," she said. "Online study is not only flexible but also empowering. It allows you to gain a world-class education without leaving behind your responsibilities or your community.
"It's an investment in yourself that pays off both professionally and personally."
For Pauline, that investment often happens in small, everyday moments: a lecture listened to during a commute, notes reviewed over lunch, an assignment completed after five children have finally gone to sleep.
It is not always easy. But from a busy household in Nairobi, she is demonstrating how online learning can bring a British degree within reach, wherever in the world a student happens to be.
Find out more:
BSc Real Estate Management
International students