Students from Mount Kenya University (MKU) and University of Nairobi participated in an O3plus 5 kilometers awareness walk on Friday 11th Feb 2022 at MKU Thika. The walk was part of the many O3plus activities supported by UNESCO and SIDA. The aim of the walk was to spread the message on good mental and physical health.
Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3plus) is a UNESCO project funded by the Swedish and Ireland Governments, whose aim is to ensure that young people in higher and tertiary education institutions realize positive health, education and gender equality outcomes through sustained reductions in new HIV infections, unintended pregnancy and gender-based violence. The project is being piloted in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In Kenya, MKU and UoN are honored to have been selected to implement the project activities.
The event was flagged off at Alumni Plaza ground. The students from the duo universities not only did they share messages of good health during the walk but they also shared their experiences with the high delegates who joined them led by Prof. Hubert Gijzen, UNESCO Regional Director, H.E. Ambassador Fionnuala Quinlan, Embassy of Ireland, Ms. Elena Gallenca, Director of Italian Cultural Institute, Embassy of Italy, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi, Vice-Chancellor, Mount Kenya University, Prof. Stephen Kiama Vice-Chancellor, University of Nairobi among other representatives from UN
Speaking during the event, Prof. Jaganyi said “our students need constant guidance so that they can safely transit to a responsible adulthood, there are challenges hurting efforts to train and empower students to be formidable future workforce”
The O3Plus objectives are being implemented through a number of activities. Such as O3Plus awareness campaigns, identification and recognition of O3Plus champions, podcast development as well as a major sensitization walk
As O3Plus project implementers we aspire and inspire to walk the journey with our students to enable them survive the passing challenges and equip them with life skills to face difficulties that may encounter now and after.
On this same day MKU launched ” RADA MKU” an online mobile app which will be used to spread information on HIV prevention, Gender Based Violence, Unintended Pregnancies, Mental health among other. Through the app, students will also be able to access a counsellor and peer mentors.
