Faith, AMIU student
Faith won a scholarship to study for a Diploma in Community Health at Amref International University. She aims to go back to her community to help others get access to vital healthcare.
When 22-year-old Faith was accepted to a scholarship position at Amref International University (AMIU), she was ecstatic.
My mother could not afford school fees, and I really wanted to go to high school to escape poverty. Luckily, I found someone who was willing to cover my school fees, so I could finish high school. I’m still so grateful for that!
With help to pay the fees through the scholarship from international partners, she secured her place at AMIU for a Diploma course in Community Health Practice. She graduated in July 2023.
A student with a dream; a university making it happen
AMIU is shaping the health workforce for Africa’s future. It focusses primarily on training, research and extension in health sciences with an emphasis on promotive, preventive, rehabilitative and palliative health, and develops health workers who can transform their communities. Courses offered at the University cover postgraduate, undergraduate, higher diploma, diploma, and certificate programs and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses in health sciences.
As part of her Diploma course learning, Faith got practical experience by doing a 3-month field practicum at an Amref health facility in Kibera, a slum in Nairobi. Here, she worked closely with community health workers on handling emergency situations and she participated in first aid, primary health care, maternal health cases as well as disease prevention and control education.
"AMIU is a great learning institute. I really like studying at AMIU, because of the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences, but also because of the support AMIU offers to needy students.” Faith explains.
’My dream for the future is to improve community health in the village and area where I come from, which is in Turkana County, Northern Kenya. By learning community health practice now, I am sure I can go there and change the health status of my community in the future.
