WiRED Salutes Denis Onyango

BY ALLISON KOZICHAROW; EDITED BY BERNICE BORN

Denis Onyango is a staff member at the WiRED International medical and health education center in Obunga, Kenya. What follows is an excerpt from Mr. Oyango’s report to WiRED.

I started out as a volunteer for WIRED, and for almost four years did outreach programs and educated my community in Obunga, where I was born and raised. In July 2010 I applied and became a support staff member.

At first, the center was received with mixed emotions; some people were curious, some deeply provoked and others were outright intimidated. They turned away and warned their children not to be seen within the vicinity of the premises. Gradually, after I worked tirelessly and patiently on outreach programs and implored people to come, word went around, and nowadays people come voluntarily.

My day as an educator and support staff member is filled with activities, starting with outreach programs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and teaching, leaving my colleague Steve Wonder Okello [see earlier story] to assist those streaming in the whole day.

There is no more joyous moment to me than that of knowing the future generation is empowered. After hearing of our work, neighboring schools call us, and we take our services to them. In the evening, mostly adolescents and youth come in groups to learn. Steve and I show them how to get the information they need on certain diseases (e.g., water borne diseases, cancer, HIV/AIDS and most recently Ebola).

We take our visitors through the modules, and there are questions at the end to test their understanding capacity. A teacher wouldn’t know how much his students understood unless he asked questions, right? It is always pure felicity when I see the same people come back again to read the modules themselves, and most impressive is seeing them jot down notes. It always warms my heart.

Our clients give me a reason to do and be better every day. Obunga people are happy with our work as a team and tell us to keep on keeping on with the superb job. Brenda Akoth, a mother of two, came up to me and said she is grateful the center has enabled her to learn and to access information about nutrition, cancer and various diseases freely and easily. She said, “Information is no longer a luxury for the rich. I don’t have to Google or blame everything on my superstition. All I have to do is come here. I am in a better position to take care of my family and my unborn child.”

People have stopped being ignorant. They used to believe any ailment was a curse. Thanks to the center, they are getting information on signs and symptoms, and prevention and treatment of various ailments.

A certain young widower is a frequent client. The first time he came and read about HIV/AIDS he was scared of taking the test, since he feared he was positive, but after the session and regular discussions, he went for the test, and indeed he was positive. He took the necessary steps and takes his medication seriously. He is a father of three and is determined to live and take care of his children the best way he knows how.

We also have a program for certificate earners [see recent story]. They have to register with us, study the modules mainly on diseases and disaster management, and by the end of three months they will merit a certificate. One such certificate earner is Alex Wamungu, who encouraged other people to get on board. He said, “Apart from self-achievement, this certificate helped me to be a volunteer at an NGO I am currently working for.” These certificates not only boost people’s morale but also help them want to achieve even more.

I would like to think of myself as an educator, and a lot is expected from me with my job. I want to be that example that says there is hope.

Switching lanes, I am married to my soulmate, Sophie Akoth Onyango, and I am also a father of three. I would want them to know their father did his best to make Obunga a better community. I dedicate all my time and effort to the center; when I am not assisting inside I am helping out with family issues or counseling people who look for me even at odd hours of the night. Though challenging at times, it is always a humbling experience for me.

I believe charity begins at home, and through all these years I have also been transformed in several ways. WiRED International has empowered me with knowledge, and I can confidently say I am able to handle any situation, any disease, outbreak or disaster in Obunga. WiRED has also helped me improve my life and the lives of my family. Now the people of Obunga are aware and in control of their health. We have reduced infant deaths due to disease outbreaks or lack of proper information. Obunga is getting better by the day, and as much as we still need to do, there is light at the end of the tunnel.