College students teach children Covid-19 hygiene

Nyalenda Young Turks’ Victor Elvis teaches children in Kisumu’s Manyatta slums how to wash hands. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

It is Sunday mid-morning and Helen Adhiambo is singing and dancing in the middle of a circle as about 10 children sing and dance along. 

She is teaching the children songs on hand-washing, wearing face masks and social distancing.

At one point, Adhiambo poses a question, and the children aged between three and 12 raise up their hands, eager to answer. The 22-year-old third year student of Agricultural Economics at Kibabii University has been doing this since schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I felt that I needed to engage in something to keep me busy,” she said.

She is among 25 college students who have come together to help children understand Covid-19. Under the banner Nyalenda Young Turks, the students have been doing this for the past two months. According to the group Chairman Victor Elvis, they came together as young people from Kisumu slums to educate the children on Covid-19.

“Many campaigns on the fight against the spread of coronavirus target adults, yet children are also at high risk of contracting the virus,” said Elvis.

The group, which has undergone basic training on Covid-19 and other emergency responses conducted by Kenya Red Cross, has been traversing slums.

The youths join the children in their playgrounds, and use the opportunity to sensitise them.