HIV/AIDS Prevention & Reproductive Health Project

A BOX TO ENCOURAGE QUESTIONS FROM YOUTH
A tool that is often used to conduct discussions are questions
submitted by the youth anonymously to a Query Box. Query
boxes are put up at schools for youth to submit any questions
they have regarding adolescence and sexuality. With a couple of
questions being normally submitted per week, query boxes
present a continuing demand and a tool to shape sessions.
Questions submitted are looked at jointly by PEs and teachers
who contribute to the cooperation between teachers and PEs.
Answers may be published at school notice boards or discussed
in classes or other discussion sessions. If PEs and teachers have
difficulties to answer the questions, they are forwarded to the
NRCS Headquarters in Kathmandu, which answers and publishes
them in its quarterly newsletter, Yuva Chautari. Some schools
noted a decrease in queries submitted to the query box which
was mainly attributed to an increased openness of students to
ask questions directly during sessions.
EDUTAINMENT WITH STREET DRAMA
Youth receive a four-day training on street drama as performers
and facilitators. The drama teams usually perform during
festivals and public gatherings, attracting masses of around 500
people. One district has performed around 20 sessions, one team
around 4 in one year. Performances are interactive; a moderator
involves the public with questions during the play. Street drama
teams are also mobilized by a range of other institutions and
organizations such as the military service, other district offices
as well as private companies including Coca Cola - Nepal,
Nebico Biscuits, etc. One team received substantial support in
terms of equipment through another agency that was impressed
by its performance.
NATIONAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN PEs
In 2005 for the first time a three day PE conference was
organized in Bhaktapur. Four PEs and one teacher from each
district were invited. The PEs were asked to submit abstracts
according to a list of topics based on which some were selected
for presentations. Youth were the main actors throughout the
conference, to the point that teachers complained they felt
neglected. Participation in the conference was stated by several
youth as a highlight within their work as PEs. It gave them the
opportunity to share and learn form others on practical issues
related to the work as a PE.
A major challenge for the sustainability of PE
approaches is that the turn over of PEs is
usually high. Young people grow up, have
rapidly changing interests and environments
and often find themselves on the look out for
opportunities to generate income - in part
due to sheer financial necessity. The more
active PEs are often the older ones and when
they leave school the younger PEs are
required to take up the initiative. This project
reduced the risk of low sustainability by
using the J/YRCC as a continuing
institutional base that provides its own
incentives. In the majority of districts
reference teachers of the J/YRCCs are
involved in supporting the continuity of
activities and providing guidance to younger
PEs. In other districts voices were less
optimistic stating that "the training has just
made us stand, we need more to help us
make the move." Furthermore, it needs to be
kept in mind that reaching out to the
community and changing behaviour is a
longer process. "If we critically analyse the
questions in the query box we find most of
the questions coming from students indicate
that they are still shy."
The general statement was that to keep the
same level of activity it will need a minimum
level of external support mainly in terms of
further trainings and provision of IEC
materials. Small incentives have a high
effect but their reliability and continuity
needs to be assured. Youth are discouraged
if, despite their initiative, support in terms of
answered questions and provision of IEC
materials is lacking. To increase the
capacities of PEs an option may be to
provide further training and some additional
incentives to a selection of active PEs (2-4
per schools) which in turn have to initiate a
certain set of activities. Ideally, these PEs are
selected by the other youth/PEs and thus
have the mandate and trustworthiness of
youth to function as their representatives,
counsellors and role models.
CAPITALIZATION STUDY
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Reproductive Health Project
NRCS/SDC 2000-2007
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