People of AMPATH: Margaret Chepkirui, Peer Educator

People of AMPATH: Margaret Chepkirui, Peer Educator

Margaret Chepkirui is a peer educator at AMPATH Plus. She helps people living with HIV by using her own experience.

Tell us a little about yourself:

Margaret Chepkirui

I am the third child in a family of nine children. I got married at the tender age of 19 and had my firstborn child at 20. My marriage didn’t work out so l decided to move out and start my life all alone with my children.

I have four children--three girls and one boy. I was diagnosed with HIV Stage 4, on September 2, 2008. and my presumptive HIV staging was toxoplasmosis with severe facial palsy accompanied by pneumonia. My oldest daughter was barely 13. As a single mum l had to fend for them doing odd jobs to bring food to the table. I had to let my children know about my status to help them understand that l was also struggling to make ends meet and that they should know that their mum was living with HIV.

How did you get interested in counselling?

I was never a believer in counselling. I was pushed to go to counselling by friends and never believed it would help. Later on l realized it was the best thing l ever did. My counselor was amazing, she helped me to work through everything and to discover myself. She never made me feel ashamed. Her understanding of why l had done the things l had done helped me to accept what was wrong and helped me with to discover how l could move forward by myself, to be stronger and happier than l had ever been before. For me counselling was a journey of self-discovery. Now l know that if l have ever lost again l can pick up my pieces and move on again.

I moved to Eldoret and was employed as a housekeeper by Kathy Sassi, a volunteer nurse from the U.S. This beautiful, kind nurse admired my resilience to be a better person after sharing with her my struggles. l shared with her that l wanted to help people who are living with HIV like me to understand themselves and live a positive life. She took me to college to do a certificate in counselling psychology and also sponsored my daughter and son through high school.

When did you start working with AMPATH?

I was part of a pharmacovigilance study that was conducted in 2011-2012. It included a two-week training on antiretroviral therapy (ART), the classes of ART, their side effects and different types of regimens. The study was to determine if pharm technologists or peers could identify more adverse drug reactions (ADR) from clients. Amazingly, the findings was that peers were able to pick up so many more ADRs than pharm technologists. I was among the top five peers and I was employed for the first time at 40 years old. This was an eye opener to me that l could be a good ambassador to my fellow people living with HIV to help them understand and discover that there is  more than being in this status.

Dr. Sonak Pastakia and Dr. Rahki Karwa of Purdue University really motivated the peers and said we were the best peers they have ever had in their careers as professionals. Right now, l am employed because of these great people. Thanks once again.

What does a peer educator do?

Peers are very important people because they empower, through peer education, disclosure and health talks at the pharmacy and modules. They act as a support system, provide group therapy, psychosocial support groups, one-on-one counselling, and most importantly, they are good role models.

Additionally, we help refill and provide medication (ART) counselling and educate clients on the basics of HIV and the side effects of the drugs that we take. We also triage patients at the front desk, make follow-up and reminder calls and report on patients who are active in care or who may have defaulted, died or been lost to follow-up.

I also do intense psychological  and medication counselling on clients failing 2nd line drugs at the Resistance Clinic in collaboration with a team of, doctors, pharmacists, clinicians, social workers and nutritionists. We get to understand the background and address the social determinants affecting the struggling clients.

I help journey with patients, giving my own experience.

Why do you do this work?

I chose to do this work because it makes me happy. l have the passion to help. l sleep better when my instincts tell me l am doing the right thing. I help and am always readily available in the AMPATH facility and in the community where l live to do outreach and encouragement.

What makes AMPATH special?

AMPATH deals with chronic disease management and offers essential services (e.g. universal care) to all people living with HIV. It also empowers orphaned and vulnerable children by giving them shelter, a little support for their education and offers social and nutritional services.

Thanks to USAID for the great support you have given to us. We appreciate Indiana University and the stewardship of Professor Joe Mamlin.