AmaniHoiva And Maasai Mara University Celebrate Graduation Of The 1st Cohort Of Health Care Assistants

AmaniHoiva, in collaboration with Maasai Mara University, graduated its 1st Health Care Assistants (HCA) Cohort on Friday, 8^th December, 2023. The graduation ceremony marked a significant milestone for AmaniHoiva, the students, the university, and the Finnpartnership program.

Kenya’s population aged 65 years and above increased from 2.1 % in 1973 to 2.9 % in 2022, growing at an average annual rate of 0.65%. With these ever-increasing numbers, the government of Kenya has put some measures in place to ensure the elderly live with dignity as they age since they become vulnerable.

Through government support programs like Finnpartnership, a program funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and managed by Finnfund, the private sector is enabled to execute initiatives that promote development in the target country and positively impact the community like the Health Care Assistants (HCA) training program in Kenya. The HCA training program is an initiative of AmaniHoiva Kotihoito of Finland, and it seeks to address the need for more accessible and affordable quality healthcare, particularly for the elderly and chronically ill. Additionally, the training program brings Finland’s knowledge and international best practices in healthcare to Kenya through the content and structure of the curriculum plus the incorporation of Finland trainers. The HCA training program helps in building the capacity of the youth in the country and creates job opportunities for them.

“We have been working to set up a diagnostic center in Nairobi specifically for the elderly who are most vulnerable in society. As a result of bridging the healthcare gap today, we successfully graduated 38 students who have gone through a one-year fully funded training to enhance their skill set in caregiving at Masaai Mara University.” Said Faisa Egge, CEO and Founder of AmaniHoiva

Faisa added that ‘’The training program involved the development of a curriculum reviewed and approved by key stakeholders, including TVETA and the Nursing Council of Kenya. Lecturers from Finland contributed their expertise to ensure international best practices were integrated into the training. ‘’

The success of phase one would bear fruits for phase 2. The pioneer class would also secure employment at the diagnostic center set up in Nairobi City, which will be the center of their operations. It would later be cascaded to other cities and towns through technology-assisted doctor assistance. With Business Partnership Support from Finnpartnership, AmaniHoiva chose to review and enhance the current curricula in training nurse aids in different colleges in Kenya.

“We have established many collaborations and partnerships with other institutions for research. And programmes. A case in point is with the finish Government who have sponsored our 38students taking the health care assistants (HCA) course with the pioneer group graduating today.” Said  the Acting Vice Chancellor Prof.P.Aloo-Obudho, Maasai Mara University

Prof.P.Aloo-Obudho added that “the first cohort of the training was for one year; based on the program’s success, there is the need to extend the program and even scale it up as the need for quality caregiving is very much needed in this country.

 Beyond technical training, the students also got the chance to visit the elderly at the community level to provide access to affordable and quality healthcare in the confines of their homes, therefore assisting the government in achieving universal healthcare.

The students will be registered and licensed to operate under Health Care Support Assistant a body under the Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority

This collaboration between AmaniHoiva, Maasai Mara University, and Finnpartnership provides students with alternative educational opportunities and contributes to the development of Home Care Assistants, addressing the community’s healthcare needs.