Making sex education easy and uninhibited
It was a Friday morning, not too long ago. I took a rickshaw from the Notun Bazar bus stop, heading for the Nurer Chala High School in Bhatara. As I near the school, I hear the chanting of young voices. I am immersed in nostalgia. It took me back to my primary school days, reeling off the multiplication tables during math class. One starts and the others repeat. But here they weren't chanting numbers. It was words, words that amazed me.
We learn about anatomy is school, but the reproductive organs, sex education, are taboo. They even staple that part of the textbooks and tell the children to read it at home. But here in the broad daylight, adolescent boys and girls were being given sex education. They were getting to know and learn in tangible terms.
This wasn't just in this one centre. This brilliant sex education programme is conducted every Friday and Saturday at Solamaid in Bhatara ward 40, Khilbarirtek ward 39, Badda ward 37 and 38, and Kalachanpur ward 17 and 18.
This programme has been named 'Poribortoner Batighar', or 'Lighthouse of Change'. The areas where these programmes are being conducted are called primary focus areas or PFA, said Borun Sarkar, senior programme officer, Integrated WASH, Dhaka East Urban Programme, World Vision Bangladesh.
He took me around two centres that day. One was the Nurer Chala High School under Khilbarirtek in Bhatara. The other one was in Kalachanpur.
There is one van for every centre. The vans are decorated with attractive poster on various topics. Some posters are hanging up too. There is a light bulb on top of the van. This is the lighthouse. This is an innovation by some youth. They are from Dhaka University.
When World Vision liked their idea, a training module was prepared. Then the programme began in August last year. Initially 26 peer educators were shortlisted. Then 22 were finally selected. They basically provide training.
There are 5 peer educators for every primary focus area (PFA) and 20 participants. Their age ranges from 14 to 18 years. There are both girls and boys among the peer educators and participants.
The programme has 12 sessions, that is, a 12-day programme. There are fixed topics for each of these sessions. There is also an assessment to see how far the participants have learned. There is a remarkable method of making the topics easily understandable through various ways and means.
This programme is being run by the multinational NGO World Vision. This is a pilot project under their reproductive health programme. The objective is to create social awareness in order to break down social taboos, said World Vision Bangladesh's senior director, operations and programme quality, Chandan Z Gomes.
Borun Sarkar said, the programme held to reduce the mental gap between the boys and girls and erase various misconceptions. It will also dispel unwarranted curiosity about each other's bodies. This is certainly a laudable initiative. It wasn't easy at the outset. There were apprehensions too. It was only natural that obstacles would arise. But after the parents were apprised of the programme, they approved.
It was learnt that the peer educators were basically involved in World Vision's children's forum and various programmes. And the participants were selected from the lower income families of the area. That made me even more astonished. Generally speaking the parents from such families are unwilling to encourage such matters to be discussed openly. It inspired respect towards them to see their liberal approach.
That day I spoke to the peer educators and the trainers. I was more than impressed by how smart and natural they were. They had no hesitation or qualms.
They admitted that initially they were hesitant. But the training method dispelled any inhibitions. Some said that their friends initially made fun of them, but they explained the matter, they got interest to learn more.
These boys and girls are giving their time every week not in exchange of any honorarium. It is voluntary. That is undoubtedly significant.
The trainers and participants feel that after the three-month programme is over, it would be good to have a follow-up after every two months and to continue the interactions.
Chandan Z Gomes said that this doesn't end here. This is a continuous process. The graduates of this programme will later join the 'My Life, My Vision' programme and receive the required support.
This may be a pilot project, but World Vision is hopeful about it. Chandan Z Gomes said that they hope to spread such programmes further and mobilise awareness among the youth.
This is how the numbers will increase, and they are increasing. These young girls and boys will be able to contribute to the society in their small way. World Vision Bangladesh views their contribution positively.
Little drops of water make an ocean. Small steps can be catalyst to social change. The Lighthouse of Change or Poribortoner Batighar is teaching the new generation to be liberal, uninhibited, respectful towards each other. This is no small matter. Hats off to all involved in this initiative!