a sourcebook of hiv/aids prevention programs volume 2

196 A Sourcebook of HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs, Vol. 2The assessment revealed several important findings:• Young people can be change agents if their talents, skills, and energies areproperly channeled.• Peer education is effective in empowering young people in public speaking,interpersonal communication, counseling, decision making, problemsolving, and development of leadership skills. It also improves healthseekingbehavior and access to reproductive health information.• ELPE allowed students to discuss reproductive health issues with theirteachers more freely.• The level of truancy dropped (according to both focus group discussionsand surveys).• The relationship between boys and girls in school improved, with the gapin aspirations closing as LPE expanded the horizons of both male andfemale students.• The number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions fell.• Patronage of youth-friendly clinics increased. The majority of healthproviders remarked that students were more open about their reproductivehealth problems than before the program and were able to makeinformed choices.• Empowerment of girls reduced their sexual vulnerability.Based on these findings, adjustments were made to the program, placingmore emphasis on teaching and learning about HIV/AIDS, for example.Lessons LearnedImplementation of the program revealed several challenges. It also yieldedlessons about how to deal with them.Government/NGO CulturesIn the process of implementation, it became apparent that substantive differencesexisted between the NGO and the ministries with respect to matterssuch as structures and administration. The bureaucratic nature of the civilservice was found to be at odds with the pragmatic approach of the NGO.These differences sometimes led to tension and conflict.(c) The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank