PLAS, an NGO that supports AIDS orphans, is carrying out a sex education project to prevent teenage pregnancy in Homa Bay County in western Kenya, and is training local young people to become leaders.
This initiative aims to reduce teenage pregnancies throughout the region and create a society where children can choose their own futures.
Crowdfunding is currently underway to support the project, with the aim of raising more support and bringing further change to the local area.
The serious challenges and consequences of teenage pregnancy
Homa Bay County, located in western Kenya, has the second highest rate of adolescent pregnancy in the country.
Around one in three women aged 15 to 19 here will become pregnant or give birth, with the situation having a devastating impact on the lives of many young people.
Young people who face unwanted pregnancies are forced to drop out of school, and as a result, they lose opportunities for future economic independence and social improvement.
This situation further strengthens the cycle of poverty and has become a major social problem for the entire region.
Furthermore, at the root of the problem is the lack of adequate sex education in this region, and the fact that many young people do not have correct knowledge about pregnancy and contraception.
Against this background, PLAS, an NGO that supports AIDS orphans, has begun activities to help young people receive proper sex education and choose their own futures.
Peer educators’ expansion and impact on the community
At the heart of PLAS’s projects is the effort to train local young people as “peer educators.”
In this initiative, 21 young people were selected to promote sex education among other young people.
The peer educators, leveraging the trust they had built as peers, conducted six awareness-raising activities and successfully provided correct sex education to 194 children.
This approach goes beyond simply imparting knowledge; it aims to empower young people to make their own decisions and take responsibility for carving out their future.
The peer educators also distribute contraceptives and provide sexuality counseling, working to spread sex education throughout the community.
Through this activity, 720 children gained correct knowledge about pregnancy and contraception, enabling them to make more proactive choices about their future.
A comprehensive approach to gender equality
This project conducts sex education awareness activities not only for “girls” but also for “boys.”
Male-dominated values remain deeply rooted in the region, and there is a tendency to view sexual issues as issues solely for women.
However, PLAS aims to promote gender equality and improve standards of sex education across the region by equipping boys with accurate knowledge about Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
We also involve the entire local community in raising awareness among parents and local adults, working to change the current trend of viewing sex education as taboo and ensure that children are raised in a safe and trusting environment.
This comprehensive approach is raising awareness of gender equality in the region and helping to create a society in which more young people can act with self-determination.
Project results and future prospects
As a result of the project’s first year, as described above, 21 peer educators were trained and six awareness-raising activities were carried out by them, impacting 194 children.
Additionally, 540 emergency contraceptives and 2,592 condoms were distributed, and coordination with six health facilities in the area was strengthened.
These results have contributed significantly to reducing the rate of adolescent pregnancy in Homabay County and raising awareness of the importance of sex education.
PLAS plans to continue providing additional training to improve the skills of peer educators and further increase the effectiveness of its awareness-raising activities.
We also aim to further strengthen awareness-raising activities among parents and local adults, and to create an environment in which the entire community can work together to address the issue of teenage pregnancy.
PLAS will continue to do its utmost to support Kenyan children so that they can envision a hopeful future.
Crowdfunding Overview
- Target amount: 2 million yen
- return:
- These include sending thank you emails, email newsletters, invitations to online reporting sessions, sending stickers and annual reports, and sending letters from children in Kenya.
- schedule:
- Action plans are underway for 2024-2025, including additional training for peer educators and strengthening awareness-raising activities for parents and local adults.
- Benefits for donors:
- You will have the opportunity to directly support efforts to protect the future of children in Kenya and give back to the local community.
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