(Burkina Faso's capital) is on a stable path, life
is getting back to normal. So it's back to project
activities.
Last Thursday we had the sex education sensibilization
that was originally planned for the first Saturday
of this month but was cancelled due to the
demonstrations against the ex-president.
We had the local college's (middle school) 4ieme B
girls (35) over to the maternity building at our
health clinic for the activity.
With the girls there were 3 sage-femmes (midwives)
plus yours truly. It was actually the 4th time we've
held the sensibilization but for 2 of the sage-femmes
it was their first time.
The past 3 sessions went well but with the new
sage-femmes I wasn't sure as to what degree they
would be into it. Always want the activity to go well
so I had a little concern as to how it would pan out.
The concern was just a waste of energy as it went
surprisingly better than I had expected. One of the
kind of 'rough at the edges' sage-femme was just
totally into it and actually excited. Also, she asked
when the next group will be coming. Personally,
her reaction kind of gave me a pleasantly shocked
feeling.
There has been a problem with teenage pregnancy
in schools. With the main reason being a tendency
of not talking about sex between parents and their
children. In schools the teachers are not comfortable
with subject as of yet.
Ergo ... the opening for a sex education/teenage
pregnancy problem project.
The issues for the girls who become pregnant are
that it would probably end their studies, though they
have the right to continue. The boy or man who
pregnated them is also most probably going to run
without any repercussions. The family may even
boot her out of the house and at this point ... no
man or boy will marry her.
She has a lot to lose.
So, with our project we give all the info they need
to protect themselves and we found that it was
the lack of knowledge which was the root of it all.
The emphasis is on abstinence and condom use
but the girls are free to choose any family planning
method but are counselled as to all the pros and cons.
Key to the project is the sage-femmes.
Being that they are Burkinabe women they know
how to speak to the girls and also will be the ones
the girls go to if they decide on family planning.
My part is the condom demonstration person using
my hand whittled eucalyptis wooden penis.
There is a lot of shyness and embarrassment
that the girls have to overcome and developing
a rapport with the sage-femmes may be less
intimidating for them if they want to come in.
There was a newspaper article of 102 girls in two
high schools becoming pregnant. Don't know the
total amount of students in both schools. In one
school we are going to in December there were two
around 15 or 16 year old girls who gave birth 4
hours apart on the same day. Guess what ... there
was one boy as the common denominator father.
Of course he booked out.
So there's work to do.
We are also beginning to get interest from schools as
far as 40 miles away. Hopefully we can get out
there and show them our project.
How much success ... don't know.
Just trying to save some of these girls' future ...
makes coming to Burkina Faso, all worth it.
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