Let's Help 100 Girls Lead!

2018 ended as a success for the girls in the MindLeaps program. All those in primary and secondary school moved ahead to the next grade level, plus several girls graduated from vocational training programs and are moving on to internships. Graduation was a mark of achievement and their report cards reflect their determination to work towards their goals.

Education and training are keys to success, but at MindLeaps we know it is also important to address the particular social and personal issues faced by girls and young women. Therefore, an important part of our holistic approach is sex education. The program focuses on building confidence and communication skills, putting the girls at the center of their sexual health, and giving them tools to make informed choices.

A recent class in our sexual and reproductive health program included twenty girls ages 13 to 19, from disadvantaged families living in Kigali. Society in general does not promote open discussion about sex and reproductive issues, and girls can be quite shy about asking questions, expressing their feelings and talking openly. The class of all girls, led by women, was a safe environment, putting the girls at ease to speak more freely and share experiences. Role play was a great way to explore some of the challenges they face, and actually made thinking about difficult situations fun!

The girls played all the roles, coming up with their own exchanges. One role play depicted a young woman asking her mother for money to buy sanitary pads for the first time. The girls came up with statements like “Mom, this feels embarrassing to say, but I really need money to buy pads,” followed by the role play mother saying, “Thank you for coming to me – let’s talk about your period so you know what to expect.” In another scenario, a boy said he liked a girl, and she had to respond that she wasn’t interested in being his girlfriend, but would rather be just friends.

For such shy, tight-lipped girls, the forwardness of their role plays and the strength of their statements were amazing. The students admitted that these conversations would definitely be harder with actual mothers and actual boys, but they’ve practiced saying the words, and the statements themselves have become normalized – big steps toward removing barriers to thinking about and dealing with such personal issues.

Another highlight was seeing the increasing boldness of the girls’ questions over the weeks as the program progressed. Through the anonymous “Question Box”, where students had a chance after each class to ask anonymously about sexual health, the girls asked questions like “How can I have sex without having children?” and “What happens when you get pregnant and the boy yells at you?” These were invaluable opportunities to promote open communication, discussion of family planning, and long-term goal setting – all critical values of the program.

With your support, MindLeaps continues to address the needs of vulnerable girls in Rwanda, helping them to develop their skills, take charge of their futures, and understand how their sexual health choices can impact those futures. These girls are gaining the confidence to speak up about issues affecting their lives as women and their ability to pursue their dreams.