PEER EDUCATORS TAKE LEAD IN FIGHTING COVID 19

When the presence of COVID19 was first announced in Kenya in March 2020, Youth Ventures Initiatives immediately carried out an awareness training on the disease and targeted its over 100 Peer Educators in areas where it works. Among those trained is Collins Mageto who is a Peer Educator at Mukuru slums, Nairobi. Immediately after the training, he was able to sensitize the community in Mukuru on covid19 to curb its spread. Youth Ventures Initiatives gave him a water bucket and soap and he installed these where he lives. “I live near the chief’s office and the chief soon requested that I install the water bucket at his office as there were many people coming there every day”. Says Collins. “I could teach people how to wash their hands properly. Even the chief had not been trained on covid19 as these were the early days of the disease in Kenya. He didn’t understand the protocols fully. And so I found myself taking an early lead at our village at Mukuru slums in the fight against the disease.”. Adds Collins.  Collins went on to say, “The Chief was very happy and appreciated my work a lot. No one else had information on COVID19 at our village at this time. I would teach 50 to 100 people every day who visited chief’s office daily”. “When vaccines were made available in Kenya people at our village were very afraid”. Says Collins. “They said its bad. That one could get disabled. That one would become infertile.  I gave them the right information which I had already received from Youth ventures initiatives and many have now taken the jab although there are still some resisting and I am working to change their minds. I have joined with other leaders and organizations to educate the community on the importance of taking a COVID19 jab.” Collins goes on to say, “I also sensitize the community particularly young people on HIV for them to avoid risky behavior. During lockdowns, there was a lot of youth idleness around. I reached out to them with a health.