Teen Peer Education in Mali

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.