The green square was buzzing with energy on Friday, 6 March 2026, as HIT’s Student Affairs Division transformed the heart of campus into a vibrant health village. Under the spirited theme New Year, New You — Celebrating You, the biannual Health Awareness Programme brought together students, staff, and a constellation of health organisations for a day that was equal parts fun and life-changing.
“This is about reducing every barrier between our community and good health – distance, cost, time. We bring the clinic to you,” said Ms J Mashoko, Nurse in Charge, HIT Health Centre.
The Beat Dropped, and So Did the Blood Pressure
Nobody showed up to stand around. The programme kicked off with a high-energy Zumba session led by HIT’s peer educators, setting the tone for a day that was as much about joy as it was about health. Sweat and laughter mingled in equal measure before Dr Masosota took the floor for a thought-provoking health talk addressing one of the toughest challenges in modern campus life: balancing academic pressure with personal well-being.
The doctor’s message cut straight to the heart of student life – urging attendees to prioritise safer choices, steer clear of substance misuse, and adopt nutritious diets as a shield against the rising tide of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like obesity and Type 2 diabetes. It was frank, practical, and exactly what the crowd needed to hear.
A Health Village Right on Campus
After the talk, the real magic unfolded across the exhibition stands. Twelve organisations set up booths offering an impressive range of free services: blood pressure and blood sugar checks, HIV testing, BMI and body measurements, eye screening, family planning counselling, and mental health support. Gender-based violence awareness and menstrual hygiene education rounded out a truly holistic line-up.
Among the partners were the Diabetic Association of Zimbabwe, Ecosure Health in partnership with Corporate 24, Optinova for eye testing, Zvandiri for HIV-positive living support, the Adult Rape Clinic addressing GBV, and Gift of the Givers distributing sanitary wear. Connect Zimbabwe and the Friendship Bench were on hand for mental health conversations, while the National Blood Services Zimbabwe gave the HIT campus a chance to literally save lives through blood donation.
HIT’s own Health Peers, HITASA, 03Plus, peer counsellors, and peer champions were woven throughout the event — championing HIV testing, nutritional guidance, healthy lifestyle habits, and positive health-seeking behaviour. Even the practical touches counted: free water was distributed throughout the day, a subtle but deliberate nudge to stay hydrated.
Why It Matters
Held twice a semester, the Health Awareness Programme is one of the Student Affairs Division’s flagship commitments to campus wellbeing. The vision is simple but powerful: bring healthcare directly to people where they live and work, removing the friction of cost, distance, and inconvenience that too often keeps people away from the services they need.
For many students, a booth in the green square may be the first time they’ve had their blood pressure checked, or the first time they’ve had an open conversation about mental health. That kind of access – casual, non-stigmatised, free- can be genuinely life-altering.
As the crowds thinned and the stands packed down, it was clear this was more than a health fair. It was a statement about the kind of campus community HIT wants to be – one where your wellbeing is everyone’s business, and where looking after yourself is celebrated, and not overlooked.
