Education Mali Project #17568

Teen Peer Education in Mali

by GAIA Vaccine Foundation

Project Report | Nov 2, 2023
Value of Teen Peer Education Amongst Malian Youth

By Anja Schneider | GAIA VF Content and Community Coordinator

Among the different methods used to raise awareness about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections amongst youth, teen peer education has proven extremely effective. Within the youth population, adolescent girls are the most at risk sector for new HIV infections in Mali. Not only do these young women potentially face the debilitating symptoms of HIV, but they also risk teen pregnancy and even dropping out of school should they contract HIV. Becoming HIV positive is highly stigmatized in Mali and many lack the support of their families and financial support.

In order to keep these children healthy and give them as many opportunities as possible in the future, GAIA Vaccine Foundation promotes Teen Peer Education in order to equip the next generation of youth with the power of knowledge. GAIA VF recognizes that peer to peer interactions are vital in building trust and understanding, so we have trained and employed teenage educators through our local partners in Bamako, Mali. These teenage educators are taught everything they need to know through adult educators, some of whom are HIV positive themselves, and they work with local health services to create communication tools for adolescents in Bamako by providing weekly discussions. GAIA VF also ensures that there are free condoms and HIV tests available at every session.

One of our goals of the weekly discussions is to reach children that are in school, as well as those who are not. We also strive to create a safe environment where young people can freely talk about issues they may face as well as how to avoid risky sexual encounters. Our long term plan is to reduce the number of new HIV infections in Bamako.

The Teen Peer Education Program would not be possible without the help of our generous supporters. For a donation of $10, you would be helping two teens attend one of our education sessions. With a donation of $20, you would be helping four teens attend one of our education sessions. For a donation of $75, it will be YOU making it possible to host an entire education session, that could potentially save the life of a child in need of guidance. We thank you for your continued support as we work towards our long term goal of drastically reducing the number of HIV+ infections in Sikoro and Bamako.

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Aug 15, 2023
Reproductive Education for Teens in Mali

By Anja Schneider | GAIA Vaccine Foundation Intern

Educating teens and others at high risk for contracting HIV is a vital component in reducing HIV cases. Adolescent girls in particular are most at risk, not only does the immunodeficiency come with debilitating health conditions, but it also affects a young woman’s position in society. Without access to proper sexual education, these young women are at risk of becoming pregnant, having to drop out of school, and losing financial and emotional support from their families.

The Teen Peer Education program has proven to raise awareness among adolescents about the potential risks that they face. This information is best translated from someone around the same age as those being taught, so the program has employed teenage educators in order to keep students engaged during the sessions. These Peer Educators have been trained by adult HIV educators, and they work with local health services to create communication tools for adolescents in Bamako through these weekly discussions.

These HIV education sessions are available to adolescents attending school as well as those out of school. The goal of these weekly sessions is to provide a safe and comfortable environment for these young people in order to facilitate educational conversation around the risks of sexual behavior, and how to stay healthy. In time, this program is looking to greatly reduce the number of adolescents who become HIV+. In 2022, 1,060 teens attended the Teen Peer Education program, over half of which were girls.

With a donation of $10, you would be supporting two teens by paying for their education sessions. With a donation of $20, you would be helping four teens attend one education session. With a donation of $50, you would be providing a salary for one HIV educator. We thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to work towards our goal of minimizing the spread of HIV among youth of Mali through education.

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Apr 21, 2023
How Peer to Peer Interactions Reduce HIV

By Anja Schneider | GAIA Vaccine Foundation Intern

With data gathered from our ongoing “Chez Rosalie” program, GAIA Vaccine Foundation discovered that the highest number of new HIV cases were most prominent among teen girls. Based on these findings, GAIA Vaccine Foundation initiated a partnership with local educator Socrates. This partnership laid the foundation for the Teen Peer Education program.

The Teen Peer Education Program targets the sector of Bamako, Mali’s population that is most at risk of contracting HIV, and promotes a safe learning environment for young girls and boys. During this free weekly session, teens may learn the risks of sexual behavior, and are free to ask any questions they may have.

GAIA Vaccine Foundation understands that peer to peer interactions are most effective in relaying important information. Therefore, the Teen Peer Education program employs teen educators that have been educationally equipped by adult HIV educators in order to adequately convey important material. Teen educators also work with local health services to create communication tools for adolescents in Bamako. At every session, free condoms and HIV testing are made available.

The goal of these weekly discussions is to foster a safe environment for teens to vocalize their questions, as well as become educated about risky sexual behavior and what to avoid. Since 2014, the program has hosted 464 education sessions. On average, the Teen Peer Education Program saw 18 girls and 7 boys each week in the year 2022.

These sessions are vital in educating Bamako’s youth about preventative measures when it comes to the contraction of HIV. By donating to this ongoing program, you would be supporting GAIA Vaccine Foundation’s effort to minimize the spread of HIV in Mali and protect the youth from immunocompromisation. For a donation of $10, you would be providing two teens with the ability to attend a weekly session. For a donation of $50, you would be paying the salary of one HIV educator. For a donation of $75, you would be providing an entire educational session. We thank you for your ongoing support as we continue with our mission of reducing the incidence of HIV+.

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