9 Students Scale Mount Kenya for Health and well-being
7 UoN and 2 Mount Kenya University students are set to hike Mt. Kenya on 14-17 July 2022 to raise awareness of the #O3plus project. The project aims at sensitizing the youth on their #health and #wellbeing. The #O3plus, Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future are the three pillars that the project is pegged on. With support from the Swedish Government, UNESCO and the two institutions have employed different activities to sensitize the young people in institutions of Higher Learning on the #O3plus project.
While giving his opening remarks, the UoN leader of the #O3plus project , Prof. Walter Jaoko noted that, the students have been through 6 preparatory hikes and they have been given rigorous training by Outdoorer KE, ‘We have popularize the #O3plus here but we now need to shout it out from the Mountain top. Mt. Kenya is symbolic because it’s the highest mountain in Kenya and the flag of Kenya, the constitution have been deposited at the Lenana peak and that’s how much we value our young people’s rights, lives and their future.’
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama recounted his experience of hiking Mt. Kenya. How cold and tough the days and nights were and how the terrain was. He shared his thoughts of giving up along the way. He shared his experience while congratulating the students who have set aside their time to go through the training and to mount the #O3plus flag at the highest peak of the Mt. Kenya.
On his part, the Mount Kenya University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi, took the time to encourage the students and citing that after the hike experience they will be different individuals who will be tackling life’s challenges differently. He profiled the efforts the University has made towards sensitization and creating awareness of the #O3plus project among the students and the youth in Thika through the University.
Dr. Medhin Tsehaiu, UNAIDS Country Director, noted that the #O3Plus Objectives are promoting the Global AIDS Strategy and contributing to the UNAIDS Triple 95 and Triple 10 initiatives.
UNESCO Regional Director, Prof. Hubert Gijzen, through his speech congratulated the 9 students who are going to hike Mount Kenya and enjoy the alpine trail. He also highlighted the achievements of #O3plus since its inception in 2021. He mentioned that it’s about time we focus on the young people’s health and wellbeing, increase their activity even as we take care of the environment.
Ministry of Sports representative Mr. Festus Njera, pledged the ministry’s support to this students and congratulated them on this feat.
