As the Kenya Red Cross marks 60 years of service to humanity, it has lined up various activities and training aimed at promoting health and safety in schools.
On Saturday, the Red Cross engaged over 15 secondary schools from Murang’a in a walk as a way to sensitize students and the teaching fraternity on how to prevent fire incidents and unrest in the learning institutions.
In a walk themed ‘Enhancing Health and Promoting Fire Safety in Schools’, officials of the Red Cross argued that it’s high time to create awareness among learners and teaching staff on how to prevent life loss and destruction of property through fire incidents.
The event, flagged off with enthusiasm, brought together students, teachers, and key stakeholders to tackle recurring issues of school unrest and arson, which often spike during the second term of the academic year.
Samuel Mwangi, the current Board Chair of Red Cross Murang’a County, underscored the purpose of bringing together the schools and educating the learners on dangers associated with student unrest and fire incidents.
“Our goal is to curb school unrests and the rising cases of fire breakouts by equipping students with practical skills to manage and control fire damages should they occur. Prevention is key, but so is preparedness,” he stated.
Mwangi said apart from the walk, they would continue to engage and train students and teachers on how to ensure their schools are safe from fires and also to ensure their health is protected.
Also present was environmental advocate Gladys Wambui, popularly known as Mama Mazingira, who highlighted Murang’a county’s broader emergency response strategy.
“As a county, we have emergency funds set aside, and we continue to partner with the Red Cross to ensure that no life or property is lost unnecessarily in times of unrest and fire incidents,” she remarked.
The Red Cross Coordinator for Murang’a and Nyeri Counties, Malcom Kanyoko, commended the students for their active participation in the walk and underscored the importance of community-based safety training.
“Students are not just learners; they are future first aid respondents. Through these walks and training sessions, we are nurturing a generation that understands the value of safety, health, and responsible citizenship,” he said.
Beyond awareness, the walk served as a rallying call to school administrations and local leaders to support fire prevention programmes, invest in student mental health, and reinforce positive discipline strategies.
The initiative, jointly spearheaded by the Kenya Red Cross and the Murang’a County leadership, marks a progressive step in creating safer learning environments while empowering learners to take charge of their well-being and that of their peers.
By Bernard Munyao and Catherine Kamunyo
