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Empowering Youth in Rwanda: The Impact of Peer Education on Sexual Reproductive Health
In Rwanda, enhancing sexual reproductive health (SRH) among youth is a priority to ensure their well-being and future success. While progress has been made, challenges such as teenage pregnancies, HIV infections, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) persist, often due to limited access to accurate SRH information and services. Addressing these issues through comprehensive education and community engagement is essential. UNESCO's Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) programme is dedicated to fostering informed decision-making and healthier communities.
In partnership with Community Health Boosters (CHB), the O3 programme conducted a peer educator training between 4 and 22 June in four districts of Rwanda, including Kigali. Over 250 participants attended the two-week training, which equipped young individuals with essential knowledge on SRHR, teenage pregnancies, HIV prevention, consent, and GBV.
During the workshop, peer educators led impactful sessions on preventing unwanted pregnancies, debunking myths, and promoting contraceptive use, empowering their peers to make informed decisions about their health and relationships.
As part of the training, the peer educators also conducted educational sessions in local schools, as well as various citizen outreach initiatives, including Umuganda (community service) and other youth gatherings.
One of the tools used during the workshop was the YAhealth Game, an innovative educational tool developed with UNESCO's O3 Programme. The game made learning crucial topics like unwanted pregnancy, HIV/STI prevention, and GBV more engaging and accessible, by breaking cultural barriers and misconceptions.
One of the 253 participants who attended the training was 23-year-old David Ukurikiyeyezu. By the end of the two weeks training at the sessions in Nyanza YEGO Center, David emerged as a dedicated peer educator, ready to make a significant impact in his community.
The training boosted my confidence, public speaking, and ability to transform the community.
David now plans to mobilize his peers to expand their reach, aiming to engage an additional 150 out-of-school young people in his community. He is committed to continuing his efforts until there are no new HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, GBV cases, or other sexual and reproductive health issues in his community.
Despite challenges in changing deeply rooted mindsets and addressing SRHR issues, the persistence and community support of the peer educators leads to significant positive changes.
The peer educators recommend expanding the programme to reach more young people and providing additional innovative tools to sustain positive changes. David Ukurikiyeyezu's story serves as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that with the right knowledge and support, young people can make informed decisions, lead fulfilling lives, and drive change in their communities.
Through its flagship programme, Our rights, Our lives, Our future (O3), UNESCO supports countries to provide good quality comprehensive sexuality education that empowers adolescents and young people while developing the skills, knowledge and attitudes they need to prevent HIV infections, reduce early and unintended pregnancies, and eliminate gender-based violence. It also focuses on building safe learning environments for learners by preventing all forms of violence including bullying in and around schools.
Run in partnership with ministries of education and health in 33 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, O3 has reached over 30 million learners through life skills and sexuality education, and an additional 35 million young people in and out of school through media platforms and advocacy mobilizing communities, teachers, religious leaders, parents and civil society.
