In Togo, 86% of men and merely 68.8% of women have completed primary school. Further, 42% of men and 33% of women aged 15-25 have a comprehensive knowledge of HIV—how it is transmitted, and how to protect themselves. Hope Through Health acknowledges that the lack of education and gender inequality revealed by these statistics poses a significant barrier to health and overall wellbeing for Togolese youth. In September, our Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Program addressed these issues at our monthly Club Hope.
Club Hope’s mission is to create a consistent and safe space for children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to grow, learn, and connect with each other. Past club themes have included self-expression through art, hygiene, and leadership skills. The September Club Hope was specifically for adolescents, and included lessons on safe sex and gender roles.
We started the morning with a “boys versus girls” relay race for the younger adolescents. The boys ran to one end of the yard and back again carrying a soccer ball, pen, and a notebook, and then passed their school and sport materials to their next teammate in line. The girls ran the same distance but instead they carried a baby on their back (a large water bottle served this purpose), a broom, and a bucket of water on their head. The girls huffed and puffed and the boys slapped five as they lapped their female counterparts.
But all jaws dropped when group facilitators announced that for the next round, the girls would be racing with the school supplies and soccer ball, and the boys would be carrying the “work” materials. The girls had never looked so smug. As they skipped and waved the notebook in the air, the boys sheepishly accepted help attaching the “baby” to their back—a task most of them had never tried before.
In the final round the tasks were mixed, both teams carrying some of the work equipment and some of the school supplies. The game finished in record time, demonstrating the fact that if everyone helps with chores at home—regardless of their sex—the chores will be completed quickly leaving time for everyone to attend school and play sports. The message was simplistic, but sparked a lively and intelligent discussion about gender expectations, roles within the family, and the right to education for all.
The older adolescents participated in a safe sex quiz, and HIV/AIDS True or False worksheet. As they corrected the quizzes together, the OVC director debunked common rumors about HIV (“Can you always tell if a person has HIV based on their appearance?” “No.”), and verified safe sex practices (“When is the safe time of the month for a girl to have unprotected sex and not get pregnant?” “There is no safe time of the month.”). In addition, the OVC director performed a comprehensive demonstration of how to use both female and male condoms, after which each teenager had the chance to practice. Participant evaluations revealed that the forty OVCs present learned something new, and also had further questions about their sexual health and navigating adolescence more generally. Hope Through Health is excited to continue discussing these themes with our OVCs in future clubs.
According to the World Bank Group, “progress toward gender equality is a prerequisite to achieving the World Bank Group’s twin corporate goals: ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity”. Hope Through Health acknowledges the complex socioeconomic determinants of health, and the inextricability of health, education, and gender equality. The OVC program, through interventions such as Club Espoir, is committed to supporting our children through this important stage in their life.