Teen Peer Education in Mali

Aminata, a Malian teenager, once told us that her mother asked her to tell her what she learned in “Teen Peer Education” class. Aminata found out that her mother had very little knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases and ways to prevent pregnancy. She was happy to share this information with her mom and proud of her ability to do so.

That’s exactly what we set out to do with the Teen project in Sikoro, near Bamako, Mali. One of GAIA’s main objectives is to increase public knowledge of HIV, HPV, and other sexually transmitted diseases in Mali. We started running “Sex Ed” classes in 2012, because the majority of new HIV cases presented at the Hope Center Clinic at that time were found in teenage mothers. First pregnancies and HIV acquisition often occur simultaneously; extreme poverty and the absence of formal sex education leave women and girls with few options for pregnancy and HIV prevention. In Mali, only 34.9% of sexually active girls ages 15-19 are considered to have a comprehensive knowledge of HIV. The 2013 Adolescent Pregnancy report created by the United Nations Population Fund reported that 46% of Malian mothers give birth before the age of 18.

These engaging programs run by local staff provide a safe space for Malian teens to not only learn more about health education and how to prevent infection, but also create a dialogue between peers on these issues. In the past six months, January - June 2019, the Teen Peer Education program at the Hope Center Clinic has already been attended by over 600 Malian teenagers. The majority of participants are girls, some of whom are not currently in school and are considered a vulnerable population in Mali. In the future, the clinic intends to offer teen female-only sessions once per week to further increase accessibility.

With your support, GAIA will be able to continue these programs to expand public knowledge of reproductive health and prepare the next generations of Malians for a healthy future.