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!

Reflections...

Admittedly, I fail at this blogging thing...Sometimes I'm really into it, other times I'm fully aware that I have a global audience of people I've never met (which makes me nervous)!

I've been in Malawi for 13 months now...my, how time flies!  So here's a quick review of what I've been up to in Malawi since my last blog in May.

June:

-Participated in Universal Mosquito Net Distribution program with PSI and Peace Corps.  In Salima District, more than 190,000 nets were distributed.

Manets!  These long life treated nets will provide protection for 3 years!

Women carry manets home. 

-Visited Kuti Game Ranch in Salima.  Walked 3 hours to get there.  Avoided a puff adder. Saw some zebra, ostrich, and deer-like animals. Sadly, none of them are Malawian, except the puff adder.

Alexis with Ostrich

Zebra stripes!

-Site visited my friends in Balaka and Ulongwe.  Hung out at Mvuu Lodge & Liwonde National Park.  Saw some hippos in the Shire River.  Ran away from some elephants.

My friend Chloe and I sailing across the Shire River!

Mvuu aka Hippos!

July:

-Celebrated the 4th of July and my 1 year anniversary of being in Malawi at Kande Beach.

-Malawians rioted against the current economic crisis and unpopular politics.  Can't provide my own take on what's going down in Malawi, but here is a good article to summarize the situation:  IRIN: Malawi's 'Arab Spring'?

-Trained 34 youths and 17 health center staff in peer education and the Hope Kit (blog to come).

August:

-Facilitated sessions on HIV and peer education at Camp Girls Leading Our World (GLOW).  Camp GLOW is organized by health volunteers in Malawi each year.  Check it out:  Camp GLOW

-Attended Mid-Service Training in Dedza with my fellow health volunteers.  Wow, it really has been one year of living in Malawi!

-Observed trained peer educators do what I trained them to do!  Awesome!!

Thanks for all your love and support this past year!  Twelve months of service left, and I'm hoping they are filled with success, adventure, and work.