COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN
AGAINST HIV/ AIDS (CHECA)
SEXUALITY EDUCATION AND AIDS PREVENTION AMONG ADOLESCENTS
AND YOUNG ADULTS
Introduction:
CHECA is a programme that was started by FADECO to be able to contribute
towards the prevention of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. FADECO sees HIV/AIDS
not only as a health problem but more also as a development problems with
far reaching impacts on the social, economic, agricultural, environmental,
health, psychological and emotional lives of our people. Development initiatives
would be incomplete without an integration of this HIV/AIDS component.
Overall objective:
To empower young people with knowledge and skills that will help them
to make informed, responsible choices about their sexual and reproductive
behavior through a multi-faceted program focusing mainly on youths of
both sexes at primary, secondary and vocational schools and selected out-of
-school youths in Karagwe district.
Background:
Young people aged between 10 - 24 years (sexually active years) form
the most vulnerable age group to HIV and STD infection in our society
today. These consist of pre teenage boys and girls at the lower end most
of whom are not yet sexually active, and at the upper end consist of physically
and sexually mature young men and women, virtually all of whom have been
exposed to sex or have been sexually active for several years and may
have children of their own. These age groups are potentially vulnerable
to HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases.
It is during this period that most young people will have their first
sexual experiences, a time for risk taking and experimentation often with
little regard to sexual consequences like early pregnancies in girls,
STDs and /or HIV/AIDS. Sexual activity at an early age exposes many youths
to the risk of HIV infection.
The chances of avoiding or contracting HIV/AIDS depend on personal and
internal factors, the youths' understanding of own sexuality, knowledge
about HIV transmission, personal values in life, inter-personal relationships,
self-esteem and religious backgrounds. It is assumed that young people,
who are well informed about these, are more likely to be able to take
care of their sexual health and to avoid HIV than those who are not.
At another level, social, economic and cultural influences (over which
many youths may have little or no direct control) may exert stern pressure
and influence thereby increasing their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. To some
youths, it is lack of accurate information whereby, it is assumed that
withholding factual information about sex from young people would discourage
them from becoming sexually active and indulging in sex activities. This
is due to social and tribal norms in our society.
Interventions by FADECO towards HIV/AIDS prevention:
FADECO through CHECA would like to implement a project about sexuality
education by addressing the biological, physiological, psychological and
social concerns of the young people, including the ability to make responsible
decisions and the skills to communicate effectively. As much as possible,
the project would seek to build the capacity of the youths and support
them to cope with the external influences that pose a threat to their
sexual and reproductive health; and accelerate their vulnerability to
HIV/AIDS infection.
The project will involve acquiring information and forming attitudes
among the youths; and would focus on sexual development, reproductive
health, interpersonal relationships between boys and girls, gender roles
and body image.
The main of aim the project will be to provide young people with information
(knowledge) about their sexual and reproductive health so they can deal
more effectively with their sexual problems. This would entail imparting
in them health care and social skills so that they can make mature and
profound decisions about their sexual behaviors; to make informed, responsible
choices about their sexual and reproductive behavior; to encourage young
people to delay engaging in sexual intercourse until they are physically,
emotionally, cognitively and morally ready for mature relationships and
ready to shoulder responsibilities.
FADECO 's efforts in the fights against the spread of the HIV/AIDS
Pandemic:
FADECO NGO started work on HIV/AIDS prevention in 1993 when it started
its SENSITIZATION PROGRAM called CHECA. Unfortunately, the CHECA program
was not sustained due to limited financing. So instead, it was decided
to integrate HIV/AIDS sensitization alongside other development/ extension
undertakings instead of implementing it a separate project:
FADECO's belief and statement:
-
HIV/ AIDS is not only a healthy issue BUT and most importantly, a
DEVELOPMENT PROBLEM.
-
Individuals and the whole community have the inherent capacity to
change attitudes and behavior. The power to fulfill this capacity
is often denied or is not exercised. This power must be recognized
and supported through a vigorous campaign to sensitize and raise the
awareness of the community where they are made to know/ conscious.
-
Awareness about the impact (long and short term) would enhance the
capacity of the community to develop sustainable coping mechanisms
and strategies in face of the pandemic.
-
the present pandemic affects everyone. Our experience as affected
and infected individuals proves that behavior changes is possible.
We believe that behavior change is the most essential strategy in
overcoming this HIV pandemic.
-
behavior change at individual and community level is a complex and
ongoing process. It is inextricably linked to such basic human values
as care, love, faith, family and friendship, respect for people and
cultures, solidarity and support.
-
there is evidence that people are able to change their behavior and
that communities are acting collectively to organize themselves to
change, to care and to cope. Behavior change is first of all a personal
responsibility, but it is very difficult to achieve alone. Community
support and help are essential for sustained changes in behavior.
FADECO is convinced that, awareness creation is one such remedy.
PROBLEMS STATEMENT:
a) Karagwe district falls in an area that has been exposed to high-risk
areas for HIV/AIDS. Karagwe is neighbor to areas where high HIV/AIDS cases
have been reported. Rakai district in southern Uganda, Kibungo district
in Rwanda and Bukoba are areas with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates. Interactions
with people from these areas have exposed the district directly to the
pandemic especially the youths.
b) During 1994-96, the district was host to over 500,000 Rwandan refugees.
Interaction with Rwandan girls/women accelerated the spread of the pandemic
in the district. Most of these refugees had come from Kibungo, an area
well known the world over as one with highest HIV/AIDS prevalence. It
was cheap and easy to seduce the Rwandan refugee girls/ women who exchanged
sex to win favors for comfort, etc. There were free and uncontrolled sexual
interactions with them.
c) Socio-economic reasons are increasingly exposing especially the girls
to the pandemic because, with limited economic means, girls are very vulnerable
to sex for survival (money) and in the process they contract the diseases.
d) The breakdown of morals and social norms due to economic reasons means
that the decision of marriage has remained an issue of the partners themselves
alone, with little or no direction from parents. This means that parental
guidance and counseling are lacking, etc.
e) Youths have limited access to resources and information about sexuality
and reproductive health, about HIV/AIDS/STDs transmission, prevention
and coping mechanisms. They also lack the necessary empowerment and morale
to fight against HIV/AIDS/STDS. The lack of animation or HIV/AIDS prevention
programs for the youths means that knowledge about preventive/ coping
mechanisms are not known. Proper infrastructure for blood testing in our
hospitals and dispensaries means that it is difficult to know who has
or is carrying the virus.
f) Sexual exploitation & abuse of young people by infected rich men
and women.
The youths have fallen a prey to this sexual exploitation and harassment.
Incidences of rape and young marriages (mostly forced) are many. Men think
that young girls are free from HIV/AIDS, while women think that young
boys are free from HIV/AIDS. Schools girls (even from Primary schools)
are coerced to indulge in sex at very young ages resulting in AIDS and
unwanted pregnancies prematurely.
There are cases where wealth women are marrying young men because they
have money, and these boys are attracted because of the wealth. The young
people are falling a prey to what is called sugar mammies and sugar daddies.
Project Implementation and strategies:
The CHECA project will develop a multifaceted program and implemented
on a district wide basis to focus mainly on all 153 primary schools (6,885
pupils), 8 Secondary Schools (360 students) and 5 Vocational schools (225
students). Initial effort will be made to identify existing local structures:
Youth groups, if any through a reconnaissance process. These would include
out of school youths (1170 youths) organized themselves into either sports
(football) clubs, digging groups, music/drama cultural groups, brick-making
groups or joint economic action groups. This makes an average total of
8,640 youths.
FADECO will manage the implementation of the project in collaboration
with other NGOs and institutions in the district. FADECO will incorporate
successful stories from activities implemented by the ELCT AIDS control
program, AMREF, TANESA, WAMATA, ACORD and the District AIDS control program.
This will build on the long experience that FADECO has developed over
the years, and its linkage with regional institutions e.g. TASO in Uganda.
Approach:
a) Build the capacity of the target groups (adolescents and young adults)
to be able to prevent further spread through a vigorous sensitization
campaign and sustainable behavior change process; and
b) Provide support to these target groups with life skills and economic
means so they are able to cope with the pandemic when it hits
Sensitization campaigns:
Target groups:
The CHECA program would be implemented by targeting the following specific
identified existing local youths structures as entry points into evolving
a sustainable behavioral change process:
· School children
- Primary schools,
- Secondary schools
- Vocational schools
· Out of school youths who have been able to organize themselves
into either:
- Sports clubs (foot ball, net ball, volley ball)
- Economic action groups (brick-making, carpentry groups, digging
groups,
- Cultural groups (drama/ singing groups)
- Religious/ Church groups (including Church choirs, etc.)
Methodology :
CHECA would run an INFORMATION, EDUCATION and COMMUNICATION (IEC) program
in schools and for out-of school youths to sensitize the young people
and their teachers on sexual and reproductive health issues. This will
involve talks, meetings, Public lectures, Popular drama/ songs, art and
Written essay competitions; Video shows to large audiences, and training
workshops to smaller action groups. These will be supported by: posters,
leaflets, booklets, and other information materials to be resourced from
different AIDS control programs including NACP, AMREF, TANESA, KULEANA,
AYA, etc.
CHECA would use the above strategies and methods to deliver its HIV/AIDS
awareness campaign messages to all target groups. A curriculum will be
developed from the wealth of information materials that have been developed
by various organizations since the pandemic broke out.
This information will be translated, adapted and be used in the lectures,
seminars or workshops. The information will also be used to compose songs,
poems and drama. In lower classes (primary schools) the campaigns will
be limited only to songs, drama and poems. While in higher classes (secondary
and vocational schools) the campaign will be extended to include art and
written essay competitions and quizzes.
CHECA would organize would in collaboration with participating schools,
organize special AIDS days when youths would come together for competitions
on set themes such as early pregnancies, STDs, HIV/AIDS, abortion, pre-marital
sex, etc.
Best performance will be congratulated through the award of simple but
meaningful prizes to encourage participation and effect sustainable impact
of the messages. At all events, video shows will be made to increase impact
as part of training and also to show what different communities are doing
in order to fight the disease and to cope.
CHECA would adopt different stresses and emphasis to suit the different
target groups as outlined below:
i) All 153 Primary schools in Karagwe district:
a) Give specialized lectures to primary school children and their teachers
respectively. These will be divided into two categories (P.1 - P.3) and
(P.4 - P.7). A curriculum to be developed for these two groups.
b) Conduct audio-visual shows in schools during or as part of the sensitization
campaign.
c) Extension messages will passed on to the pupils during the lectures.
The teachers and pupils will be asked to translate these into songs, poems
and drama.
d) Inter-class competitions will be conducted on set school AIDS days
, and prizes awarded for best performances depending on set of criteria,
e.g. relevant messages conveyed through the performances or piece of art.
e) On the AIDS school day, parents and key persons (recognized government
official, politicians or religious leader) would be invited to attend
and to present prizes to those who performed well.
f) Competitions would be conducted as follows:
- School level (interclass) competitions on school AIDS day.
- Wards level (involving all schools in a given ward) on a given national
days or public holiday
- Division level (involving schools that excelled at ward level competitions)
on given national days or public holiday
- District level (involving schools that excelled at division levels)
on WORLD AIDS DAY 1/12/2002.
g) At all levels of competitions (school, ward, division and district
level), prizes and gifts would be granted. With the except of the inter
class competitions (at school level) to be held on a convenient day as
set by the school, all other competitions will be held to coincide with
national/ international days. The following is a tentative competition
schedule:
- Ward level competitions - Easter time or Mei Mosi (1st May)
- Division level competitions - Saba Saba (7th July) or Nane Nane (8th
August)
- District level competitions - WORLD AIDS DAY, 1st December.
(ii) Secondary schools( 8) and vocational schools (5):
These would have a similar program but on a higher level than primary
schools and to include:
a) Public lectures on HIV/AIDS: A curriculum will be developed in collaboration
with head teachers. On set days, lectures will be given. Also Video shows
will form and parcel of the training. For these higher students, pamphlets
and handouts would be provided for them.
b) All students would have to participate in written essay and art competitions
and debates to which prizes will be given. A panel of judges would be
selected from participating schools. These competitions would both conducted
at inter class and inter school levels. Best articles or essays would
be published and artwork reproduced in the district development quarterly
magazine called WAZA.
c) Music/ drama competitions would be encouraged as in the case with primary
schools. Inter class competitions in music and drama would be conducted
at schools levels at set schedules while aiming Inter school competitions
for secondary schools which would best be conducted once a year on WORLD
AIDS DAY at district level. Prizes would be awarded for best performance.
(iii) Out of School Youths:
Many out-of-school youths are organized in different local structures/
groups and are engaged in different activities. Some of the popular groups
are: football clubs, socio-action groups, income generation groups, cultural
groups and religious groups.
The primary activity for CHECA would be to identify these groups and
use them as behavior change groups. A set of activities would be designed
to involve their participation and these would include:
Meetings/ Public lectures/ Video shows:
As much as possible, the outreach program will be designed in such a way
that all these youth participate in the sensitization campaign through
regular meetings, public lectures and video shows.
(iv) Training of peer Educators/ Counselors:
CHECA would strive to build a caliber of youths who would be used in
further sensitization of fellow youths. A group of vigilant young men
and women would be identified from different parts of the district (at
least 2 per village) and trained as peer educators/counselors. These would
be selected by their schoolmates or fellow youths, would receive intensive
and in-depth training in sexual and reproductive health, communication
skills and presentation skills. Where possible, CHECA would assist in
the evolution and formation of health and life planning clubs in schools,
etc.
(v) Support and training in income generation activities:
Material support will be extended to particular groups (football clubs,
Youth action groups, income generation groups, cultural groups, etc.)
to strengthen their capacity for productive work and entertainment. For
example, football clubs will be supported with sports equipments, while
income generation groups would be supported with agricultural inputs,
etc.
(vi) Publications and Productions:
CHECA would endeavor to produce high quality publications. These will
include newsletters focusing on HIV/AIDS and sexual / reproductive health.
CHECA would consolidate its contribution in the district quarterly newsletter
called WAZA for the start.
At some point, CHECA would be able to produce a newsletter specifically
for the youths, in a language understandable to them. These will constitute
contributions and ideas from the youths themselves, either gathered from
the above activities: poems, personal stories, essays, etc.
At some point, CHECA would document all the performances by the youths
at the various functions. Audio and Video production is one of the key
elements of the program to be worked upon. Songs, poems and drama would
be tape-recorded and also video recorded. After which these would be dubbed
for reproduction and to be distributed to different schools, etc.
Your support highly needed..
If you would like to work alongside the programme, feel free to contact
FADECO more details. There is a lot of input needed and this needs the
colaboration of every body. There re different budget lines and FADECO
estimates USD 53.634 for an initial period of 3 years.
Your contribution would make a difference. You can contribute
by sending:
-
IEC materials to the training programme
-
Financially
-
Volunteering and taking part in the project
-
Supporting youths to cope with the pandemic
For more information, contact the Project
Co-ordinator, CHECA
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