HIV/ AIDS Awareness

As well as developing education, volunteers have the opportunity to play a key role in our HIV/AIDS awareness outreach projects by giving talks in schools. In synergy with one of our partner NGO's ("Mend the Broken Hearts") we teach our volunteers about HIV/AIDS and the equip them with the knowledge to deliver our structured talks. Here volunteers work to dispel the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS by equipping young people with the vital knowledge which helps them make informed decisions about their sexual health. These presentations, which have proven to be remarkably successful, are also coupled with on-site testing. Consequently, for many volunteers, this aspect of the programme is a real highlight, as their impact on the lives of young people of Uganda is very visible and tangible.

Delivered both in highly engaging assemblies or in smaller group discussions our talks aim to:

• Empower young people to get tested.
• Dispel stigma for testing and HIV/AIDS.
• Educate young people about barrier contraception.
• Empower young men and women to avoid putting themselves at risk of contracting HIV.

Family planning

A major cause of poverty in Uganda is the very high fertility rate, which exceeds eight children per woman. It means that family's resources are too thinly spread to finance education and healthcare. The subsistence farming culture prevents education because children are kept at home to work. However, if the population continues to grow at this alarming rate, subsistence farming will no longer be viable due to lack of land. Research shows that education of young woman is the best predictor of fertility rate in Uganda. Our volunteers give talks and run session at school about family planning so as to address the unsustainable fertility and encourage young people to have children as they can afford to provide them with good, education, nutrition and healthcare.

By incorporating games, role play and theater, our family planning talks aim to:

• Educate young people on a range of contraception methods.
• Teach the principles of sustainable family planning.
• Encourage you people to understand the importance of family planning.
• Include role playing around family planning decision making.
• Empower young women to family plan so as to give themselves and their children a higher quality.

Sex Education

The teenage pregnancy rate in Uganda is the highest in sub saharan Africa. Over half of its girls give birth before reaching the age of 18. The average age of marriage is 17.8 years. These two factors lead to enormous drop out from education among young women. Volunteers have the optional opportunity to give lessons and talks at their placement schools delivering sex education children and teenagers.

These talks aim to:

• Teach children about physical development and puberty.
• Teach children about condoms and the risks associated with sex.
• Explain issues around grooming and abuse.
• Empower young people to have children later so as to complete their education and escape poverty.