Leading Through Lived Experience

At the heart of TWC's success is a simple insight: the most effective health worker for a person who injects drugs is often someone who used to inject drugs. Lived experience is not a liability — it is a credential.

Vijana wa Huduma peer leaders are recruited from the communities they serve. They complete structured training in counselling, harm reduction, HIV care, and human rights. They are paid, supervised, and integrated into clinical teams. They are not volunteers; they are professionals whose expertise is built on personal experience.

Earlier Service Entry — New contacts reached through peer-led outreach enter care faster than those reached through static clinic services alone. The trust transfer — from peer to clinician — is immediate and powerful.

Community Advocacy — Peer leaders speak at county health assemblies, engage with the media, and represent the community in national policy dialogues. Their voices carry weight because they cannot be dismissed as theoretical.