In the past two months time has flown by, and it is amazing to think that it is now only a short time before I return home. It is in the last month that I started to feel at home, because in any case adjusting to a new place, habits and people takes time. Especially the first month, because of the election everything was at a standstill, I experienced some ups and downs, had some anxious moments, and wondered if it was the right choice for me to come here. The answer is yes
Support group with young mothers
With Eugenie, a counseling volunteer, and the help of Hanna, a volunteer in the health area, we started meeting with a group of young mothers. At the first meeting we tried to understand their main needs. Most of them requested support for their children and for school fees, which unfortunately we have no possibility to grant. Hanna, however, managed to organize a three-day training on breastfeeding and child care. Meanwhile, Eugenie and I have started four support groups in different areas of Shianda. The groups meet every Sunday for about an hour each. To date we have talked about puberty, menstrual cycle and contraception. The girls are very shy, do not feel confident enough to speak in English and feel intimidated by the presence of two unknown adults, so there is a secret-box at each meeting where they can ask questions on any topic. The main goal is to create a bond between the girls and a safe environment where they can be free to express themselves. Hopefully the groups will continue to meet after we leave. Crucial will be Patrick, my mentor and active community member, who will help the young mothers meet. He is already involved in organizing the support groups every week and also trainings in the schools.
Bumini and Ebubere trainings
We organized trainings in two schools on reproductive health, consent, and how to recognize a healthy relationship from one that is not. Two students from each class participated and will then be responsible for disseminating the information they receive. Each class will be left with materials to help them talk about the topics.
GBV Ambassadors
As soon as I arrived in Shianda, I attended Eugenie's counselling training, and from that moment our
collaboration. At the end of September we organized a two-day training on different points of view, approach towards victims and listening.
I personally dealt with the approach to cases of violence that puts the victim at the center. I prepared two case studies: in one the victim was refusing help and in the other the victim had behaviors that were not accepted by the community (drinking, wearing short clothes). In both cases I focused on a non-judgmental approach, the importance of listening and respecting the victim's time. The goal is to always put the victim at the center and let them choose.
We are also working together to organize the November 12 public event on the topic of gender-based violence. For this reason, on October 24 we organized the first workshop where we decided on the topics to be addressed and their dissemination through posters and flyers.
