By Phoebe Wangui Mburu

On July 14-17, the Counseling Center held VCT Week, themed “Status Update: TESTED,” bringing together the university community to participate in a variety of activities. In collaboration with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Family Health Options Kenya (FHOK), DKT(Kiss), Marie Stopes, Inua Dada Foundation, and the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC), the week featured life-changing conversations and life-saving services.

This year’s edition was anything but ordinary. From free HIV Testing Services (HTS), condom distribution, which was over 1,000 in total, and self-test kit giveaways, to screenings for breast and cervical cancer, the campus became a vibrant hub of empowerment. Men and women alike had access to STI and UTI testing, while reproductive health counseling and contraception education reminded everyone that health is wealth, smart, and completely in your control.

But this wasn’t just a medical affair. This four-day event also featured games and talks. A standout highlight was the Menopause Awareness Webinar themed “Hot Flashes, Cooler Conversations which aimed at educating, demystifying, and clarifying what menopause entails, thereby providing the much-needed space to honor midlife health journeys with grace and facts.

Additionally, the week also included a session on Relationship Talk for girls themed “Girl Code: Dating as a Gen Z lady; Let’s Talk about It.” The session, facilitated by a panel of experts with vast years of experience, dissected what it entails to be a Gen Z woman in today’s wild dating scene. One day you’re talking love languages, the next you’re wondering if you’re just another tab open in someone’s DMs.

Throughout the week, students got raw, real-time access to information, tools, and professionals without shame and gatekeeping. All activities conducted during the VCT week served as a reminder that our health is indeed our wealth.

The university’s support and involvement in such initiatives shows that this is about more than just health; it’s about empowering the whole person.