Having kick started the second phase of our Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) School Health Project where we scaled our activities to 30 schools in Osun and Lagos states, the Lagos team traveled to spend a week with our colleagues and our students who are members of our Health and Hygiene Clubs (called DRASA Ambassadors) in Osun state.

DRASA Ambassadors at Ooni’s Girls High School, Ile-Ife with Supervisory Team and Teachers

Members of the Supervisory Team with one Youth Trainer at Ooni’s Girls High School, Ile-Ife (L-R: Ademola Olayinka, Glorious Erhuanga, Praise Adeyemo, Temitayo Lawal, Oluwatosin Adedeji)

Supervisory Team with Administrative Officials of Osogbo Grammar School

The essence of this visit, which was held between Tuesday 15th March and 18th March 2022, was to observe activities of the our Youth Trainers in their schools and to acquaint ourselves with school management and district authorities. The schools visited include: Oduduwa College, Ooni’s Girls High School, and St. David’s Grammar School in Ile-Ife as well as Osogbo Grammar School in Osogbo.

Group photograph of DRASA Ambassadors at St. David’s Grammar School, Ile-Ife with Supervisory Team and Focal Persons

Former DRASA Ambassador Glorious (2018-2019) engaged in a conversation with new DRASA Ambassadors at Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo during their bi-weekly Health & Hygiene Club meeting

Supervisory Team and VP, Oduduwa College with new Ambassadors of the Health & Hygiene Club in the School

A former DRASA Ambassador from our 2018-2019 program, Glorious Erhuanga, joined us on the trip. Glorious was in her second year of secondary school when she joined our Health and Hygiene Club and she is now an undergraduate student of the University of Lagos studying English.

Glorious speaking to the DRASA Ambassadors at St. David’s Grammar School, Ile-Ife

She spoke to our new Ambassadors to share her experience with DRASA and what she has done with what she learned from our Health and Hygiene Club in her school. She also highlighted the impact and benefits of the Health and Hygiene Club activities to the new Ambassadors and encouraged them to be consistent.

Glorious addressing new DRASA Ambassadors during a Health & Hygiene Club meeting at Osogbo Grammar School

Glorious has also been featured on the WHO-AFRO website to highlight our efforts in addressing the burden of AMR in Nigeria through youth.

At our Health and Hygiene Club meetings, we observed active participation of students in carrying out the meeting activities. We also assessed our Youth Trainers for their ability to manage the class, communicate key lesson concepts, deliver the lessons within the timeframe, and ensure active engagement of the DRASA Ambassadors.

Observing our Youth Trainers in action

As we continue to implement the rest of our planned activities with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) AMR Division, WHO Africa Regional Office and WHO Nigeria Country Office, our commitment is to ensure that schools, including those in educationally-underserved communities, become the second most important factor after the family, that plays a powerful role in influencing children’s health-seeking behavior.

DRASA Health & Hygiene Club Ambassadors at Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo

New Ambassadors at Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife during their Health and Hygiene Club meeting

It gives us deep fulfillment to be part of Nigeria’s national vision of reducing the burden of antimicrobial resistance. We will continue using our behavioral change programs to groom young people into becoming healthy citizens influencing the health of those around them, as well as productive adults in the years to come.