Riziki’s Story
My Name is Riziki Hamisi from Mumias and one of the NASIO TRUST beneficiaries as well as one of the Peer educators in the program.
Peer education program has enabled me to gain guiding and counselling skills and knowledge, with this knowledge I have been able to educate my fellow peers and show them direction on what is right and wrong in their peer life, I also do guiding and counselling to some of them.
Through peer education program, I have been able to act as a role model in most cases in the community where I live and at school. At school, I am leading a health club which is one of the activities started through this program.
I have also gained a lot of information regarding the consequences of teenage pregnancies and how to avoid this as a peer, it has made me know how to abstain from sex at this early age as well as avoiding the circumstances that could lead you into early sexual behaviours.
I am now aware of sexual transmitted diseases, their signs and symptoms, through this program, I am now aware on how to avoid such diseases through abstinence from sex and avoiding the circumstances that would lead me into this, I preach the same gospel to my fellow youths and age mates.
The issue of early marriages was also captured in the skills that we were trained on, right now I know how to protect myself from this as well as I can pass this information to my fellow peers without any problem, I now understand the effects of early marriages and I would not love even to see my fellow peer engaging in this.
The peer education program has enabled me to know and understand my rights as a peer and I will always teach the community to respect and protect the rights of children.
I have gained courage through this program, before I used to be shy, I could not express myself in public even talking to my parent was a problem but after my participation in the program I can express myself freely in the public without any fear. I can now socialize with others and educate them about adolescence stage and how they should manage themselves.
The drug abuse issue was also handled during the training, I was not aware of how this could affect youths life but after discussions on the consequences, I can avoid this as well as educating others to avoid bad companies that would lead them into drug trafficking.
Thank you very much for the program I want it to continue so that many young people like me would be reached and saved.
Riziki Hamisi.
Age 16