The African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN), in collaboration with the Kenya Catholic Prison Chaplaincy, today kicked-off a five-day Training of Trainers (ToT) on the AJAN HIV and AIDS Prevention Programme for Youth (AHAPPY) for prison chaplains and catechists from Kenya’s Nyanza Region at Ukweli Pastoral Centre. The training that is running from 1st to 5th September 2026 marks another milestone in AJAN’s continued commitment to accompanying inmates and young people in correctional facilities through integral formation, rehabilitation and hope.

The programme brings together 22 prison catechists and chaplains serving correctional institutions across Kenya’s Nyanza Region. Through the AHAPPY approach, participants are being equipped with practical skills to mentor, accompany and support young inmates while promoting their integral human development. The training prepares participants to become positive change-makers and advocates against HIV and AIDS stigma within prisons and their local communities. By combining life skills, values formation and leadership development, AHAPPY encourages holistic growth and empowers both facilitators and the young people they serve to make responsible decisions that foster healthier and more hopeful futures.

Equipping agents of hope

The opening day led by Ms. Sergon Pascalia, participants shared their expectations and learning objectives, many expressed a desire to strengthen their capacity to accompany young people behind bars with greater empathy, confidence and purpose. They reflected on the understanding that rehabilitation extends beyond confinement; it involves restoring dignity, rebuilding hope and preparing inmates for successful reintegration into society. Ms Sergon introduced participants to the vision and objectives of AHAPPY, anchored in the Ignatian principle of cura personalis—care for the whole person.

A central theme of the sessions was understanding oneself before accompanying others. Participants were immersed in AHAPPY’s five dimensions of human development—physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual—inviting them to reflect on their own lives, strengths and areas for growth. Through interactive discussions, personal reflections and participatory learning, the catechists and chaplains came to appreciate that authentic accompaniment begins with self-awareness and the recognition that every person is created in the image and likeness of God, deserving of dignity, care and compassion.

Facilitator Sch. Peter Onah Agi deepened this reflection through the African philosophy of Ubuntu, the profound spiritual and philosophical concept expressed in the words, “I am because we are.” He emphasized that true humanity is discovered and nurtured through our relationships with others, reminding participants that their calling as prison pastoral agents is not merely to provide guidance but to journey alongside the inmates entrusted to their care. The reflection challenged participants to first cultivate their own emotional, spiritual and personal well-being so that they can accompany young inmates with empathy, authenticity and hope, becoming instruments of healing and transformation within correctional communities.

The sessions emphasized that those entrusted with caring for inmates must first nurture their own well-being in order to become authentic guides and mentors realizing that their well-being, spiritual growth, and very existence are tied to the community and the world around them. At the centre of it is the understanding that Restorative Justice is Spiritual harmony that requires healing relationships, forgiveness, and reconciliation rather than revenge or isolation.

Building on this foundation, Ms. Lilian Waweru led participants through a practical session on physical, emotional and intellectual intelligence, helping them understand how these dimensions shape both personal well-being and effective accompaniment. She encouraged participants to recognize their physical health as the foundation for service, develop emotional intelligence by understanding and managing their own emotions while empathizing with others, and strengthen their intellectual intelligence through critical thinking and sound decision-making. The session highlighted that prison catechists and chaplains can only accompany young inmates effectively when they first cultivate these capacities within themselves, enabling them to communicate with compassion, respond to challenges wisely and guide those under their care with authenticity and hope.

Building on a growing prison ministry

At the end of Day One, Fr. Dennis Kimweri, Chaplain at the Regional Command Office, Nyanza Region, expressed his appreciation to the facilitators for the engaging and insightful training. He noted that the sessions had enabled participants to gain new knowledge and deepen their understanding of themselves. Fr. Kimweri thanked the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) for organizing the training and for its continued commitment to strengthening prison pastoral ministry and promoting the holistic development of young people. He encouraged the participants to remain open to learning throughout the training and to apply the knowledge and skills gained in their daily ministry and accompaniment of inmates.

The Nyanza Region training builds on AJAN’s expanding partnership with the Kenya Catholic Prison Chaplaincy, following similar successful trainings conducted in Western Region in the previous week and other parts of the country. These initiatives have continued to demonstrate the vital role chaplains and catechists play in supporting vulnerable youth in correctional facilities through faith-based accompaniment and life-skills formation.

Over the coming days, participants will engage with AHAPPY’s core modules while strengthening facilitation, communication and mentorship skills that will enable them to create safe spaces for healing, reflection and positive behaviour change among the young people they serve.

More to follow>>>

By, Mr. Dennis Owuoche,

AJAN Communications Officer.