What I'm Doing Here, Part II: Peer Education & Hope Kit Training

FHI 360 has been funding and monitoring Youth Friendly Health Service (YFHS) activities in collaboration with the Salima District since 2008.  Seventeen health centres throughout the district implement YFHS.  In July 2010, I conducted a training aimed to improve YFHS throughout the district by training health peer educators.  Through funding from FHI 360 and Peace Corps Malawi, 51 participants were trained in peer education techniques and facilitation.  Thirty-four youth and 17 service providers from the 17 health centres in Salima district attended the five day course.

The training comprised a variety of health topics with a special focus on HIV/AIDS prevention.  Each participant received a Hope Kit, a HIV prevention tool that provides and emphasizes activities and actions that individuals or groups of people can take as steps towards HIV prevention or mobilizing communities to respond to the AIDS epidemic in Malawi.



Salima Peer Educators!

Hope Kit Activity

Before the training, it was observed that YFHS were under-utilized by youth in Salima district because trained health personnel were either transferred to other health centres or too busy to properly allocate time and commitment to YFHS activities.  In training 34 youths in peer education and the Hope Kit, young leaders will be able to continue YFHS meetings and facilitate discussions amongst peers regarding health, education, and goal setting.  YFHS service providers attending the training gained refresher skills and acquired the Hope Kit as a tool to educate not only youths that attend YFHS, but also community members that seek services and health education.

The Hope Kit approach was initiated by the Malawi BRIDGE project in order to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Malawi through multilevel efforts that seek to change people’s behaviors, attitudes and perceptions regarding the transmission of HIV/ and AIDS.  The Journey of Hope is a set of practical experiential learning activities designed to address a range of HIV/AIDS related issues in particular HIV prevention. It guides participants to develop life skills that can help them deal with different situations, linked to staying healthy and achieving their goals and dreams in life.  The Journey of Hope provides one of strategies that call for all Malawians to be empowered to choose positively when making decisions. These choices are based on practical experiences that young people as well as adults face in real life situations.

Nditha! (Yes, I can!)

Objectives:

1.    To equip the participants with Peer education techniques and methodologies, knowledge and skills, which they will be using in disseminating sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS messages to their peers in the communities.

2.    To promote ABC prevention methods among youth and young people in the surrounding communities. 

      Follow up

Each youth developed a three month workplan to facilitate peer education sessions in their communities.  I am following up with each youth, observing teaching sessions, and providing feedback.  So far, the youth are enthusiastic about peer education.  

Me swimming in a sea of Hope Kits!