New Generation of Peer Educators Steps Up

After years of being World Vision peer educators, a group of 16 young men and women are ready to move on. Thanks to their knowledge, dedication and hard work in the past years, these young men and women are the experts, and have earned the right to train the next generation.

Zlata is one of those young people.

She has been a World Vision peer educator since she was 12 years old. For the past six years, Zlata has held many presentations and workshops. “I believe that we have accomplished a great deal,” she says, adding that the relationship between peers has become something special.

“Younger children see us as role models. I don’t know if there is anything more that can be accomplished than that,” says Zlata, who is constantly asked for advice by the younger boys and girls. “Children look for us; ask us questions, come to us if they need information. Even during trainings children come knocking on our doors.”

This summer, Zlata is attending training that will enable her to become a trainer of peer education. “We have the knowledge, and now we are learning how to transfer this knowledge to others. That is not easy,” Zlata states when we meet her in between the training sessions she attends. 

But as the former peer educators move on, a new generation of boys and girls is taking their place. As a part of the summer school training, World Vision has gathered 69 boys and girls from 16 primary schools in World Vision's Area Development Programmes, ages 13 and 14, to introduce them to peer education.

“Educators who conducted peer education until now have outgrown their positions and the need to introduce new generation of peer educators arose,” says Denis Siljak, World Vision project manager. “Our aim is to create a network of peer educators for World Vision's future projects, because this methodology can be used for any topic,” he adds.

The training for peer educators encompassed many different topics ranging from learning how to fight human trafficking to getting more information on sexual and reproductive health.

For 14-year-old Faruk, this is the first time he has come in contact with peer education. “Peer educators are similar to teachers,” he explains. And, after couple of days at the training, Faruk is already feeling confident. When asked if he is ready to go to a classroom and give a presentation to his peers, he happily answers, “I am ready to go.”

He also sees the advantage that this type of training could have for his future life. “I want to be a doctor and here I am learning about different organs during the education on sexual and reproductive health. So, if tomorrow, someone comes to me and says: 'I have problems with this and that' I will be able to respond to that person much better.”

There is a long and exciting road ahead for the future peer educators. Will and hard work are required from these children. As their older colleague Zlata summarizes, “I didn't believe I would ever become trainer. But, I was persistent and those who are persistent succeed.”

Training of peer educators and trainers of peer education are part of World Vision's Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) Programme. MCHN Programme addresses healthy lifestyle, healthy and sick child care and nutrition, food safety, personal and environmental hygiene, access to safe drinking water, reproductive health, safe motherhood and essential newborn care concepts at community level through the development of public health materials and public awareness and promotional campaigns (seminars, workshops, training sessions).