Annie's work at the Youth Centre

Way back in May I posted a blog about my work with VFHA clinic. That is less than half of my work. I also work for the Northern Care Youth Centre (NCYC) in their drop in clinic which deals with all STIs, HIV counselling and testing, family planing and awareness raising on all related issues to young people.

Good graffitti is encouraged.

Volley ball, national game

It is a large, well run organisation, part of an excellent theatre based awareness raising NGO called Wan Smolbag (http://www.wansmolbag.org)  Here they offer all things for "Yut": music sessions, Hip Hop, guitar/keyboard/drum lessons, sewing classes, Volley ball, IT skills, etc., and of course confidential counselling.

Marie Michelle, senior clinic nurse..

Leimako Simon, Senior Nurse, WSB  

My desk; 10mtrs away through those breezy windows I can hear music-all day, every day-top volume. Mmm, nice!

Leimako is overall senior nurse and is experienced, well respected and excellent; I have worked a lot with her and we have a very good relationship. Marie Michelle is younger, but also has a lot of experience and is also good; they have both helped me a lot in my work.

At the moment, I am mainly planning, organising and running workshops in sexual and reproductive health, STIs/HIV awareness. As in most developing countries, the population in Vanuatu has doubled in the last 25 years and a recent survey on youth showed that 67% of people are <30yrs old. One of our target groups is young girls and women and in an effort to reduce unwanted pregnancy rates (the same here as in UK, i.e. high), we offer them a workshop, once a month from different urban areas around town. Most of the workshop/activities etc are delivered by the wonderful band of Peer Educators and I hope they will soon take it over completely. But there is still huge input from me at the moment, Vanuatu being the workshop capital of the world!

Kaltom, Peer Ed lead facilitating on decision making skills

Fiorina, Peer Educator, facilitating on  STIs

 Last week we had a bigger than usual hiccup: double booking on the room. Eventually a smaller room was found for the 2 Peer Eds, myself and a dozen girls. Great, we thought, so we began..... So did the music!! It came from next door, from the so-called soundproof room (a bit of leaf matting on the prefab walls and a poor effort at padding on the ceiling--no contest with the huge amplifiers!) I admit, I did struggle a bit to give my talk on female anatomy, conception and sexuality whilst orgasmic moans were emanating from the next room at top volume!! However, it seemed appropriate when it came to the condom game...........I was the only one who found it funny, everyone else took it in their stride and paid polite attention! 

Maybe it was my Bislama..........

Open day saw some home made posters.

Seline, our little miss Fixit/cleaner/photocopier/please pop out for more  sugar/ ink cartridge/phone credit person

Another large and important part of my work is fulfilling a VSO obligation in updating and training the clinic nurses in STIs/HIV/counselling and testing/family planning .... but more of that another time.