Phaphamani Zoneleni. Image: Supplied

When final-year University of the Western Cape (UWC) nursing and midwifery student Phaphamani Zoneleni is not educating patients at community clinics about safe sex, or helping residents manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, HIV and tuberculosis, she is making just as much impact on campus.

The 22-year-old from Khayelitsha can often be found engaging fellow students in discussions on health and wellness, mental wellbeing and strategies for addressing gender-based violence. Zoneleni is one of nearly 200 student change-makers trained as peer educators by UWC’s Health Promotion and Wellness Unit, formerly known as the HIV and AIDS Programme.

Through the initiative, students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to avoid high-risk behaviour such as unsafe sex and sexual violence. By sharing accurate and accessible information, peer educators aim to shift attitudes and empower young people to make safer, healthier life choices.

Zoneleni, who features in the unit’s annual booklet highlighting the stories and achievements of peer educators, admitted that when she joined the programme a year ago, she had no idea it would become such a powerful confidence booster for her nursing career.

“I signed up for it after attending an event in which peer educators shared information about HIV, and I was interested because it was something health-related. What I didn’t know was how it would help propel me in nursing. One of the things we do as nursing students is go out to clinics and community outreaches and educate people about various health conditions,” she said.

“One of the things I struggled with was public speaking. I also struggled talking about sexual education…I would just get super nervous, but today I have no problem speaking about any of the health topics or addressing people publicly, and I can only give credit to the peer education programme.” 

The director of the unit, Prof Rashid Ahmed, said that while World AIDS Day on December 1 is usually marked with public engagements such as webinars and awareness talks, this year the focus is on reflecting on the unit’s impact in people’s lives. This includes the training of peer educators like Zoneleni and the meaningful difference they have made across the wider student community.

Zeinap Zoutenberg, the current programme officer at the unit, who herself was a former peer educator, said that the programme, which initially focused on creating awareness about HIV, has since evolved to include issues such as gender-based violence and mental health. She described it as a key value-based initiative, reflecting UWC’s ethos as an institution that encourages students not only to excel academically, but also to serve their communities.

A third-year BA student said being part of the programme has empowered her and given her the confidence to speak openly about her own mental health journey. “It has been incredibly empowering for me because it gave me a platform to talk about my struggles with depression and anxiety,” said Somisa Mhangwana. “When students talk openly about mental health, it helps others relate and realise they are not alone in their struggles.”

Zoutenberg added how, in addition to her own growth and learning from a diverse group of peers, and the recognition she received with an award for Backstage Icon in her group, being a peer educator also contributed to a sense of belonging and a shared sense of responsibility and service. The Backstage Icon is an award presented by the unit and is given to the unsung hero among peer educators who consistently supports and assists with activities that contribute to the programme, without seeking the limelight.

“The broader ethos of service really stands out,” Prof Ahmed said, citing that the programme is rooted in the UWC identity. He emphasised the need for all of us to do more, both in the struggle for HIV/AIDs specifically, but also health and social provision more broadly, in light of the current global context.