Maryanne Oketch: Meet the 24-year-old woman with Kenyan roots who just won ‘Survivor’

After 22 years on air and 42 seasons later, a woman with Kenyan roots has finally won global reality show ‘Survivor’ and the $1 million (approx. Ksh.116 million) reward prize that comes with it.

Maryanne Oketch, 24, made headlines this week after emerging victorious in the game show whose premise revolves around abandoning contestants on a deserted island where they are expected to source for food, water and shelter on their own as well as compete in a series of challenges to win rewards and immunity from being voted out of the competition by fellow contestants.

Through her wits, unwavering resolve and natural knack for the game, Oketch was able to outlast 17 other contestants to be crowned the winner in a 7-1-0 vote alongside fellow finalists Mike Turner and Romeo Escoba.

While Oketch’s victory has made her famous overnight, she is not yet a household name in Kenya. And so Citizen Digital scoured around for a few things you need to know about the latest ‘Survivor’ winner.

Early Life

Maryanne was born in Germany to a Kenyan mother but has spent most of her life in Ontario, Canada. Her family has likewise spent a considerable amount of time in Ajax, Netherlands, a city which she considers her second home.

Academic qualifications

Oketch boasts of a university degree in Integrated Science with a Biochemistry concentration from Ontario’s McMaster University. Her research at the school was focused in Äìviruses.

She is presently enrolled at a seminary school in Canada. The Ksh.116 million prize money will surely come in handy in paying her tuition fees and any other venture she wants to pursue for that matter.

Relationship status

During the show, Oketch made it clear that she was not in a relationship, though she did admit to having set her eyes on one of her competitors, Zach Wurtenberger, who was the second player voted out of the game. It remains unclear whether the two will pursue each other following the conclusion of the game.  

Career

As all ‘Survivor’ fans are aware, swimming skills are very important when playing the reality show. As a certified lifeguard, Oketch, expertly used her skills to win challenges and source for food, despite having initially been “terrified” of water at an earlier age.