Teenage pregnancy workshops

These weekly workshops are run by the Youth Centre for teenage girls not because they are pregnant but to try and help them not become pregnant and cope in this very male dominant society.
Annie has gradually and quite successfully been handing over the running of the workshops to the peer educators.  We go to different suburbs of Luganville and drum up support/participants what with an offer of lunch and the chance to have some sex education.

 

The girls gather around and scribble madly as they copy down details of anatomy and the menstrual cycle. They then break into small groups and discuss problems which they then present to us all. this can be quite challenging for some of them.

Later Annie gave a condom demonstration which was somewhat interrupted by a gang of hunky men coming to erect a wooden frame right close up.

Anna, (a Kiwi Volunteer working at NCYC with the Peer Eds) and Rosie, supervising the 'refreshments', an all important part of the day.

Another highlight of the day is the 'energiser' sessions-- especially as it gets hot and everyone tends to drift off.
This one is called 'River bank' and involves a lot of jumping. Kaltom, our Peer Ed leader is great at getting everyone involved and giggling, especially with this one.

This was the first "Teenage Pregnancy" workshop we have had (out of 8 so far) that I left the Peer Eds to run the second half without me as I was needed at the clinic. They were confident and pleased when they came back at the end of the afternoon, so it went well.
Do they have an effect? Well, we hope so, but who knows? Any awareness is good awareness, I feel.