Peer education programme encourage positive change

LIMPOPO – The leaves of these trees will be used for their food scheme.

Moringa trees have small, rounded leaves that are packed with an incredible amount of nutrition: protein, calcium, beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium and that’s why the Moringa tree is described as the miracle tree. Some of the Moringa trees were sponsored by the Moringa expert Buddy Annadale.

Cilliers also presented a recycling workshop to equip the students on how to reduce, reuse and recycle in the right way. Destiny Alive is the Implementing Organisation of the youth development programme that started in three schools in the Mogalakwena area. The peer education programme is a process where skilled facilitators equip a group of influential young people to carry out four key and interrelated roles.

The four roles being: role-model, educate, recognise & refer and community upliftment. This process is part of a system which ensures its sustainability and effectiveness.

The peer educators of the different schools fulfil their role of community upliftment by getting practically involved and serving in their existing community structures as a catalyst for change towards transformation. We believe that: “The message giver is the strongest message.” These peer educators are not just talking about change they are bringing forth change now. Peer education is based on a theory that states that people don’t change with information alone, they change when others around them change. They strive to be agents of change, role models and steadfast leaders who lead their peers to adopt health-enhancing and purpose-driven behaviour.

“Since our implementation of the programme in 2015 at Tji-Tjila High it is encouraging to see the peer educators take up responsibility for their lives and for their community. It ignites hope for our future,” Imogen van Wyk, program manager at Generation Alive, said.

redaksie.bosvelder@nmgroup.co.za