Local Leaders: Nancy from The Nasio Trust, Kenya

The Mumias West District in western Kenya’s Kakamega County is a remote region where poverty is endemic; 40% of the population lives on less than $1 a day. Although HIV rates are falling, young people make up most new infections. The Nasio Trust works in Mumias West to respond to these challenges through a youth-led programme. We talked to founder Nancy Mudenyo Hunt about how Nasio came into being and the impact becoming an Egmont Partner had on their work.

What led you to set up Nasio?

In 2000, in a small village in western Kenya, my mother, Irene Mudenyo, found an abandoned baby in a sugar cane plantation on her farm. The baby boy, who was about three months old, was severely dehydrated and under-nourished and needed urgent hospital attention. My mother’s attempts to find relatives proved futile and, feeling he would be better off in a family environment, decided to care for the baby, who she named Moses, despite being in her late 70’s. The plight of Moses exposed the problem of poverty and consequences of the high incidence of HIV in Mumias West. I was touched by his plight and that of many other children like him, so I set up Nasio in 2001 to give these children a chance in life. Moses is now an adult studying dental technology.

Two decades later we support over 400 children, run two purpose-built day care centres, a medical centre and provide a range of education and development programmes. Nasio works in partnership with the community, local NGO’s and the government to end the cycle of poverty through three key strands – education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihoods.

In 2020, the Mumias West region had the second highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Kenya. What do you think caused the numbers to be so high?

The COVID-19 pandemic closed schools for over a year, ripping away the safe spaces and health clubs we had created in schools and confining students to their homes. This particularly affected young girls, who relied on schools for safety, supervision, and routine. We have had to work harder, grow our school health clubs' reach, and increase economic empowerment to support families at a household level to create a safety net for girls.

How have you seen attitudes towards teenage pregnancies change since you started the Peer Educators project?

Since we started in 2018 there has been a noticeable shift in the attitudes and behaviours among young people and their families. Open discussions amongst young people and their involvement in peer-to- peer sessions on sexual and reproductive health through their school’s health clubs, have de-stigmatised teenage pregnancy, sexual curiosity, and the need to test for HIV as a preventative measure. Young people have also learnt to communicate confidently and effectively about their own issues and
been empowered to challenge harmful cultural norms, changing their peers and parents’ attitudes and behaviours.

How has Egmont’s support, since 2018, changed Nasio’s approach and impact?

The Egmont-funded Peer Education Programme began as a means of reaching young people within the community, however it became apparent that gaining the whole community’s support and changing cultural taboos and norms was essential for the programme’s success.

Therefore, Nasio has significantly expanded the reach of its Peer Education Programme, training not only with young people, but also parents, teachers, religious leaders and community members, discussing sensitive topics like sexual behaviour, regardless of cultural or religious background.

Egmont’s funding has enabled Nasio to integrate life skills training, entrepreneurial skills and income-generating activities into the Peer Education Programme. Now it expands beyond sex education and engages young people socially, intellectually, and economically, reducing their reliance on risky sexual behaviours for quick cash.

What about your current Peer Educators project makes you most proud?

Witnessing our 400 peer educators blossom with confidence and run outreach sessions in the community, and seeing young people excel in education and stay in school due to reduced teenage pregnancies, fills me with immense pride. The dedication and local expertise of my incredible teams make me very proud too. We recruit staff from the local community and their deep understanding of issues allows them to connect authentically with young people and community members and build a supportive environment.