Health education on oral health and nutrition for primary school students in Mukuru informal settlement, Kenya, using AI-based teacher training

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Health education on oral health and nutrition for primary school students in Mukuru informal settlement, Kenya, using AI-based teacher training

Proposal

Project Mukuru, developed by the Kenya National Commission UNESCO (KNATCOM), Mtree (a non-profit organization and UN Civil Society), and the Seoul National University Global Maternal and Child Oral Health Center, aims to enhance oral health and nutrition education for primary school students in Mukuru, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the program is named “Project Mukuru” after the Swahili word “Mukuru” for “role models.” This program focuses on role modeling, interactive learning, and creating an enabling environment to promote healthy behaviors, which are core values of SCT. The initiative aligns with the WHO’s 2024 Global Oral Health Strategy and UNESCO’s 2022 "Ready to Learn and Thrive" report, which emphasizes the importance of action against the global oral health crisis and the need for engaging, contextually relevant health education.
Project Mukuru addresses the limitations of current health education, which often relies on standardized knowledge delivery rather than interactive demonstrations tailored to local contexts. The program empowers teachers to use AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Canva, enabling them to create engaging lessons that reflect students’ cultural backgrounds. Guided by dental and nutrition experts from Kenya, the U.S., and South Korea, these tools allow teachers to anticipate challenges students and parents might face, providing culturally relevant responses and practical advice. For instance, teachers can prompt AI with questions like "What questions might children ask about toothbrushing?" AI can answer like "Why should I brush if I don’t eat sweets?" or "What happens if I forget to brush?" Then, teachers refine the answers after discussing them with subject matter experts, focusing on practical advice. For diet and nutrition, teachers may ask, "What concerns might parents have about their children’s diet?" and receive responses such as, "We can’t afford expensive foods. How can we keep our children healthy?" Teachers then collaborate with experts to design affordable, nutritious solutions using local ingredients like maize, beans, and Sukuma.
The program also incorporates AI-driven visual aids and discussions, enhancing the effectiveness of lessons by making them more relatable and context-specific. To promote self-efficacy among students, the program includes skill-building workshops, such as brushing and flossing stations, cooking classes with local cooks, healthy snack challenges, and creating a Mukuru cooking recipe book using AI tools. Recognizing the critical role of the home environment, the program actively involves parents and community members to sustain healthy habits. Parent workshops provide guidance on supporting children’s oral health and nutrition at home, while take-home challenges like "Sugar-Free Day" or cooking healthy meals together turn health education into a family activity. This involvement reinforces students’ learning and empowers them to become change agents within their families and communities, creating a supportive network that fosters sustained behavior change.
This presentation will showcase innovative health education models in urban poor settings by empowering primary school teachers as health agents through AI tools. It highlights how SCT and online resources can create interactive learning opportunities, transforming oral health and nutrition education into a culturally relevant and impactful experiential learning for students.

Authors

• Hyewon Lee, Mtree Inc

• Gloria ha young Ahn

• Sanghyeon Baek

• Mary Wanjiru Kangethe, Kenya National commission for UNESCO