I’m NUWASASIRA ELIJAH, a peer educator affiliated with Nyaruhandagazi Health III Centre in Bugamba sub-county, Rwampara district. My journey in peer education began in 2017 after a transformative week-long training at MERIVA GUEST HOUSE in Mbarara. This training instilled skills in social behaviour change and communication, laying the foundation for my role as a peer educator.
Before joining peer education, my life was entangled with negative influences, including alcohol, smoking, and theft. Family planning methods were unfamiliar to me, and I held misconceptions, such as the belief that one cannot conceive while standing. Through education, I gained knowledge, enabling me to confidently address SRHR issues and guide my peers towards informed decisions. Post-training improved my public speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills significantly. These skills empower me in my community, where I share information on family planning and AIDS with fellow young people.
To supplement my efforts, I ventured into entrepreneurship, starting a chapati-making business based on information about Edu-preneurship. The daily income from this venture allowed me to purchase a motorcycle, enhancing my mobility for community mobilization and household visits, where I continued educating my peers on SRHR topics. Recognizing my impact, my peers entrusted me with the role of youth chairperson at the parish level. I also became a radio presenter and news anchor at Greater Afrikan Radio Mbarara, utilizing the skills acquired to address youth-related issues in my community.
Earning respect in my community results from giving and receiving respect. Recently, I had the honour of serving as the Master of Ceremonies at the IKnowKati Concert 2023 at Nyamityobora Playground on December 1, 2023. The organizers believed in my abilities, and the event’s approach, using music and influential artists to empower us with messages on taking charge of our lives, using condoms, and addressing issues like gender-based violence, was not only impactful but also life-changing and witnessing these artists, whom many perceive as living a tumultuous life, standing on stage and encouraging us to stay in school resonated deeply with me and my peers, making the experience far from boring.
Before joining peer education, my life was entangled with negative influences, including alcohol, smoking, and theft. Family planning methods were unfamiliar to me, and I held misconceptions, such as the belief that one cannot conceive while standing. Through education, I gained knowledge, enabling me to confidently address SRHR issues and guide my peers towards informed decisions.
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