Former Papa Shiradula actress Jacky Vike popularly known by her stage name, Awinja, landed a job with the Ministry of Health.
In a post published on Monday, January 30, Awinja announced her appointment as the new ambassador for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
The announcement was made during the 2023 World NTDs Day celebrations held at a Nairobi hotel.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the new Brand Ambassador for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). It was such an honour to get this role during this year’s celebrations.
“Let us get down to work. Thank you, Ministry of Health and AIHD Kenya for the opportunity to serve the community,” Vike announced.
Her fans and supporters trooped in their numbers to celebrate her new milestone and wish her more success in life.
“Congratulations girl. We love you for free, keep going,” a tweep wrote while another commented, “I am glad that the medical fraternity is collaborating with you to create awareness on NTDs.”
Vike rose to fame in the Papa Shirandula Show, a local production Royal Media Services’ Citizen TV that became a hit. She was cast as Awinja, the house help of the starring, the late Charles Bukeko.
After her exit from the show, Vike ventured into content creation and was appointed an ambassador for several leading brands in the country.
The theme for the 2023 NTDs celebrations was ‘ Act Now. Act Together. Invest in Neglected Tropical Diseases. Celebrations are held on January 30 every year.
In May 2021, the World Health Assembly (WHA) settled on the day to create awareness of the devastating impact of NTDs on the poorest populations around the world.
Some of the diseases listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) include dengue fever, chikungunya, river blindness, rabies and scabies.
