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THE VITO MOJA HEALTH SCOUTS PROGRAM
Background and Vision
Started by Eran Maina and Scott Perkins in Fall of 2019, the Health Scouts Program was inspired by the College of Wooster's Health Coach Program. As Health Coaches at Wooster, students are trained by local primary care doctors, nurses, and other health professionals on basic topics in health and disease and assigned patients with chronic illness in the Wooster community. Working with these patients, Health Coaches take vitals and monitor patient health and living conditions all while helping patients establish healthy goals. Aware of the increasing scourge of chronic illness in rural Kenya from diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure and inspired by his patients and learning experiences as a Health Coach, Eran decided to begin a similar program in Embu. In partnership with Scott; a highly experienced and devoted Health Coach himself, the two designed and implemented a program focused on spreading community health awareness thus sparking Vito Moja’s Health Education and Wellness mission.
The Vito Moja Health Scouts program teaches upper primary school students basic health topics including blood pressure, blood sugar, mental health, and hygiene. In a Vito Moja primary school library, students are taught how these categories of health are analyzed and how to identify emergencies in these health areas that may require immediate attention from health professionals. Students also learn common chronic maladies in these areas that are relevant to the village. Following their weeks-long in-class lessons taught by Eran and Scott, students engage in practicum sessions. They learn what is a good or bad blood pressure, how to take manual pulse, and are provided patient scenarios to evaluate their understanding of taught material. By the time students complete the Health Scouts program they are well-versed in basic health topics. At completion of the program, students are paired with elderly mentors in the Embu community whom they monitor the blood pressure of, their general well-being, and safety of their living conditions to ensure they are maintaining a healthy lifestyle in a healthy environment. Although far from doctors or healthcare professionals, health scouts are emissaries of health awareness and information in the village.
In addition to improving community health, the goal of the Health Scouts program is to teach next-generation Kenyans to be model scholars and active members of their communities. Through the Health Scouts program, Vito Moja seeks to solidify and promote the cultural relationship between village elders and youth to provide students mentors who can help them navigate life and become model citizens who will someday pursue health careers and transform Kenya’s healthcare. The Health Scouts program also continues to assist graduating Health Scouts on continuing to secondary school.
Scott's Perspective:
"When Eran first told me about his vision for a health scouting program, I was immediately excited. Starting a program to increase community health and promote student success in school would be a great chance to impact people's lives, and I couldn’t wait to start. Bringing my health coaching experience to the table, I worked with Eran to understand the community's expressed needs and draft a curriculum based on those needs. Together, we partnered with community members to revise and implement our plan effectively. Eran’s background in Embu helped us make lots of local connections and I personally enjoyed getting constant feedback from our village partners. That way, we could craft the program to have the biggest impact possible relevant to Embu’s needs. It has been an immense privilege to work with the people of Embu. The students are brilliant, curious, and eager to learn. The teachers are passionate about teaching and are deeply committed to their communities. The people I met taught me so much about sustainability, community power, and the positive change that can happen when people come together with a common goal. I am so grateful for this opportunity and am thrilled for the future of this program!”