Help me understand who I am

Ethnic minority students present on the harmful effects of teenage pregnancy at the 2024 Forum for the Exchange of "Children's Rights" and "Leaders of Change" Clubs in Quang Tri Province - Photo: TCL

At the 2024 Forum for the Exchange of Clubs (Clubs) "Children's Rights" and "Leaders of Change" in Quang Tri province organized by the Provincial Women's Union (VWU) in coordination with the Provincial Youth Union and the Departmentof Education and Training, Ho Van Tan and Ho Thi Tang, 9th grade students, belonging to the "Leaders of Change" Club, Xy Primary and Secondary School, Huong Hoa district, confidently presented the topic of adolescent reproductive health care to communicate to hundreds of audiences, especially secondary school students.

To achieve this result, not only thanks to the efforts of the students to change but also the tireless contributions of the Project 8 implementation team, specifically the union officials at all levels and teachers at primary and secondary schools in the project area.

The lack of knowledge about the body, gender, personal hygiene, safe sex or issues such as early puberty, early marriage, unwanted pregnancy... is a big gap in the lives of many adolescents in ethnic minority areas. Especially in difficult areas, information is even more limited. Therefore, raising awareness and skills on reproductive health care for adolescents has become a priority in the propaganda work of Project 8.

From 2022 to present, the Provincial Women's Union has opened 5 training courses to improve knowledge of safe motherhood and child health care for more than 300 women of childbearing age in 5 communes: Huong Son, Xy, Lia, A Doi (Huong Hoa district) and Ta Long (Dakrong district).

From the budget of Project 8, Dakrong District Health Center organized 4 communication points on safe motherhood and child health care in Ba Nang, Huc Nghi, A Vao, Huong Hiep communes, with 396 participants. At the same time, in combination with resources from international organizations, the Provincial Women's Union organized communication sessions on adolescent reproductive health care at schools.

Up to now, 29 “Leaders of Change” clubs have been established and operated in primary and secondary schools in the project area, creating a living environment for students. The clubs have regularly organized activities once a month, creating habits and skills in preparing topics, proactively planning, programs, and public speaking skills for students. The topic of adolescent reproductive health care has been focused on by the schools.

At the same time, based on the media publications distributed by the Provincial Women's Union, the clubs have additional visual materials to serve the quality of propaganda work more effectively. The media content is designed to suit the psychology of the age group, combining illustrations, with brief, concise information, helping children to understand, remember and communicate easily, especially for students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The content of the propaganda and the topics of the communication sessions focus on the content of direct warnings to adolescent students about the psychological and physiological problems of puberty; what is sex and safe sex; pregnancy, contraceptive measures in adolescents; warnings about sexually transmitted infections...

Here, teachers, school health workers or members of the “Leaders of Change” club act as a bridge to provide advice and guidance on how to use sanitary napkins, how to clean the body, how to handle unusual signs, and how to behave safely in relationships with the opposite sex.

“Through the communication sessions, the children have gained more knowledge to equip themselves with skills to protect their own safety. When they themselves talk about the “secret” issues that they used to be afraid of and embarrassed about, they understand the importance of reproductive health care at school age. When they understand that adolescent reproductive health care is not just a “private” matter, but also related to the right to protection and the right to safe development, they know how to speak up, choose and refuse inappropriate things and share with the community”, said Nguyen Thi Ha, Head of the “Leader of Change” Club of A Doi Primary and Secondary School, Huong Hoa District.

Not only propagating at schools, the documents were also printed and distributed by the Provincial Women's Union to 171 local community media groups to disseminate to fathers and mothers - those who have a direct influence on children's development. Through established community groups, collective activities on topics such as sexual safety, prevention of abuse, the role of parents in the formation and development of children, creating a premise for the work of caring for adolescent reproductive health in localities to receive more attention.

Permanent Vice President of the Quang Tri Provincial Women's Union Nguyen Thi Que Phuong said: "Project 8 did not intervene with dogmatic models, but chose a flexible, adaptable approach, evoking internal strength. In particular, the role of teachers, Women's Union officials at all levels, members of local intervention models... is the fulcrum for the journey of spreading awareness further and deeper.

To make this topic truly apply to real life and protect the health of each student, the Provincial Women's Union will continue to include topics of sex education, life skills, and reproductive health care in regular curricular or extracurricular activities of community groups and organizations. Strengthen the model of "friendly and safe schools for girls".

Promote the team of local collaborators, especially develop the core members of the “Leaders of Change” Club - a force capable of “touching” the psychology of young people naturally and effectively. Integrate and diversify, digitize media products, make them easy to remember, easy to access, and keep up with trends for young people.

Tran Cat Linh

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/giup-em-hieu-duoc-con-nguoi-cua-em-193675.htm