Learners in Nairobi Taught First-Aid Skills Through Health Clubs

Students in several Nairobi schools are now being equipped with lifesaving first-aid skills through active participation in health clubs run in partnership with St John Ambulance Kenya. Under the Safe Schools Initiative, tens of thousands of learners, mostly in primary and secondary institutions, are being trained in basic first-aid techniques—including CPR, wound care, and emergency risk assessment—to respond to common school accidents and health emergencies.
The health clubs also emphasize disaster preparedness, fire safety and community resilience. According to the initiative, club members regularly take part in drills, peer-training sessions and awareness campaigns so that the school environment becomes safer and more responsive. For many learners, this is one of their first exposures to structured health education and emergency response skills, helping them become proactive student first-responders.
Feedback from the school community has been encouraging. Teachers and school heads note that students trained in first-aid show greater confidence and sense of responsibility. Meanwhile, parents appreciate that these clubs help build practical life skills beyond academic learning. The initiative is also seen as a way to close gaps in school safety, especially in densely populated or under-resourced areas where access to emergency medical support can be delayed.
Looking ahead, health and education stakeholders plan to scale the model further across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties, aiming to integrate first-aid training into all school health clubs. There are also discussions to strengthen links with local hospitals and emergency services so that students can participate in more advanced drills and community health outreach. If widely adopted, the approach could transform Nairobi schools into safer, more prepared learning environments with empowered learners ready to act in emergencies.