A REPORT ON THE 3 DAYS ACTIVITY ON GIRLS CORNER CARRIED OUT BY DREAMERS HOPE FOUNDATION IN LIMBE
Hosted on APRIL 8TH, 2Oth AND 27th 2024.
The Girls Corner continues to serve as a safe and supportive space for the girls to discuss on various aspects of menstrual health and hygiene, comprehensive sexual education and the challenges they face as adolescents. Over the past three weeks, our team has facilitated numerous engaging discussions and activities aimed at empowering girls with knowledge and resources to navigate their adolescence confidently.
Our activities at the Girls Corner are centered on 4 main aspect
- Menstrual Health and Hygiene
- Comprehensive Sexual Education
- Gender Base Violence
- Peers Support Circles
- Creative Expression Workshops
- Challenge and problem sharing
The first week activity began on Saturday the 8th of April 2024 at 3pm- 5pm. With over 20 adolescents in attendance, the session was focus on menstrual health and hygiene covering topics such as Menstrual cycle phases, proper hygiene practices, debunking myths and misconceptions and sustainable menstrual product options. These sessions provided girls with valuable information and encouraged open dialogue about menstruation.
At the end of the session kills reported feeling more empowered and confident in managing their menstrual health and making informed decisions about their hygiene.
Our second session was held on the 20th of April 2024 which focused comprehensive sexual education tailored to the needs and concerned of adolescent girls. Topics included healthy relationships, STD/STI Preventions, sexual Purity. Through these session girls gained a better understanding of their bodies and learned how to make informed decisions regarding their sexual health.
Topics from reproductive health rights to self-care practices were being discussed, proving girls with diverse perspectives and empowering them to advocate for their own health and well-being.
The 3rd week was very fun and interactive. Girls were sensitized and Gender base violence and the peer support circle where girls were allowed to connect with their peers, share experiences and provide support to one another. These session foster a sense of community and solidarity among participants, reinforcing the importance of peer support in navigating adolescence.
Achievement and impact.
- Increased in Attendance. We observed a steady participation of girls at the Girls Corner indicating growing interest and engagement among participants.
- Empowerment through Knowledge. Girls reported feeling more empowered and confident in managing their menstrual health and making informed decisions about their sexual health
- Community Building. The Girls Corner has become a vibrant community where girls feel supported heard and valued; fostering meaningful connection and friendship among participants.
- Openness. Girls feel safer and supported at the girls corner, they feel heard and valued. And as such participants have shared their experience of being victims to domestic violence, attempted rape, neglect and financial abuse from parents, and people they considered elders as their perpetrators. Making it easy to address these challenges by creating a comprehensive approach that involves prevention, empowerment, support services and community awareness.
Challenges
- Limited space. The Girls Corners have limited space to accommodate the number of girls at the Girls Corner. The space is not affordable and conducive for girls to learn. We are exploring other sites and venue appropriate, safe and conducive for girls to learn
- Access to Resources. Limited access to menstrual products health care services and learning materials remain a challenge for some girls. We are exploring partnerships with local organizations to address this issues and ensure that all girls have access to essential resources.
Next Steps:
- Continuation of educational programing:
We will still continue to offer educational workshops and discussions on menstrual hygiene, sexual education and related topics, ensuring that girls have access to accurate information and resources
- Expansion of Outreach efforts: we aim to expand our outreach efforts to reach more girls in underserved communities and provide them with the support and resources they need to thrive
- Evaluation and feedback. We will conduct regular evaluations and seek feedback from participants, work with parents to assess the effectiveness of our programming and make necessary adjustments to better meet the needs of the girls in our community.
Conclusion.
The girl corner remains committed to empowering girls through education, support and community building. Over the past three weeks we have made a significant strides in advancing our mission and creating a safe and inclusive space for girls to learn, grow and flourish. We look forward to building these achievements and continuing to make a positive impact in the lives of adolescent girls.