Kanyiva Muindi

Position before the programme: Field Supervisor, Nairobi Urban HDSS, Nairobi.
Current Position : Research Officer, Nairobi Urban HDSS, Nairobi.
Student years at Wits University: 2005 - 2006
Host HDSS centre for the field attachment: Navrongo HDSS, Ghana

“The programme was and still remains great! When I consider the skills I had before joining the programme and those that I left with, the transition was amazing” says Kanyiva.

According to her, she initially had very rudimentary analytical skills both for qualitative and quantitative data but by the time she left for the field attachment, she had gained skills that saw her through analysing data on her own and writing up the thesis.

“These analytical skills have been applied in my work as I have been involved in cleaning and analysing data for publications” she said.

Kanyiva said the skills she gained in project management have been central to her work at the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) where she has had to apply these over and over as she oversees diverse projects including both local (HDSS based) and national.

“The writing skills I developed during the programme have remained relevant and can be attested by the papers for publication I continue to be involved in at APHRC” she added.

Beyond the skills gained or strengthened through the training, Kanyiva said the students were challenged to go back to their home countries and identify epidemiological issues which needed their leadership.

“To this end I am pursuing doctoral training with emphasis on air pollution, an issue largely missing in policy and other debates in Kenya and perhaps the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region. I wish to be a leader in advocating clean air policies in my country and in Sub-Saharan Africa so that all people can enjoy healthy and productive lives - after all we all must breathe the air around us, whether polluted or not- and our inaction just makes the future gloomy for millions” she said.

“I would like to express my gratitude to those who contributed to developing me into the person I am today- from the people who envisioned this programme, the donors who made it possible for me and many others to go through the training, and the many wonderful individuals who mentored and continue mentoring me in this exciting research journey. May God bless you!” Kanyiva said.

Kanyiva's research topic was "Adolescent sexual behaviour in Navrongo: Does family count?"