By Baraka Simba
After a successful three-day training session for peer counselors organized at the Eldoret National Polytechnic, facilitators and peer counselors now say they are ready to deliver.
Trust, a crucial aspect of counseling and psychology, was highlighted by peer counselors as one of the main reasons clients hesitate to seek help. However, this concern seems to have been addressed during the training.
Joan Chelimo, a trainer at Eldoret National Polytechnic and a departmental representative, was one of the facilitators of the training session. She emphasized that the issue of confidentiality and trust was well covered.
“We equipped our peer counselors with basic counseling skills, placing emphasis on confidentiality and honesty—key factors in counseling,” said Chelimo during an interview.
Micah Peter Silwe, one of the peer counselors who attended the three-day training session, stated that trust and confidentiality were strongly emphasized and well understood by the trainees. He encouraged students to trust peer counselors and feel free to open up so they can receive the help they need.
“For those with trust issues, I want to assure you that we have been trained to be confidential. If your case is beyond my ability, I won’t refer you to just anyone—I will direct you to another counselor who will also maintain confidentiality,” said Micah.
His sentiments were echoed by Faith Chelagat Sang, the secretary, who reassured students that counseling sessions are conducted in a private setting and that all discussions remain strictly confidential.
“When it comes to trust, students should have confidence in us because we will keep their information private,” said Chelagat.
