Universities focus on better health for their students

MKU jointly with UNESCO and University of Nairobi participated in a one week health and wellness review workshop at Masada hotel, Naivasha. The duo universities are currently running a pilot program dubbed O3 Plus (Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future) which is dedicated to young people in higher and tertiary education institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Students have been facing many challenges affecting their health and wellness especially during the Covid 19 pandemic with an adverse impact in their academic performance and progression. The institutions through the O3 Plus project started running activities to spread messages to realize positive health, education and gender equality outcomes through sustained reductions in new HIV infections, unintended pregnancies, drug and substance abuse and gender based violence.

Through the MKU campaigns, student’s voices have been spread through messaging platforms such as podcasts, WhatsApp and documentaries. The students actively selected O3 Plus Champions who are steering their activities towards achievement of the goals of the program.

Enhancing students’ security takes joint efforts of the university and the community. In this regard, the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deo JAGANYI invited Thika Community to a 5 kilometer O3 Plus awareness walk on 11^th Feb. 2022 which will start at 7:00 AM at Alumni Plaza, Main Campus.

The O3 Plus project is sponsored Embassy of Sweden through UNESCO East African regional office. The UNESCO EA director in his workshop closing remarks announced that they will be hiring six representatives who will be overseeing implementation and monitoring of the project.

Through the O3 Plus project, students will have access to health and wellness trainings through activities such as mountain hiking, sporting activities, talent week, webinars, amongst others.