SHE: Sisters Healthy & Empowered

According to the HRSA publication U.S. Teens in Our World: “Adolescence is characterized by rapid physical growth, significant physical and psychological changes, and changing dynamics in family and peer relationships. The large, rapid changes associated with adolescence may have major effects on the health of individuals and, conversely, variations in health may significantly affect the transitions of adolescence. Optimal health and well-being of adolescents in their daily lives is basic to their successful development into healthy adults.”

In July, Sisterhood Agenda hired a youth coordinator to implement its youth initatives and refine its public relations and advertising campaign to be more youth-centered. She will be trained for SHE: Sisters Healthy & Empowered program implementation in September for implementation at an outreach site (high school) in St. Thomas, part of the St. Thomas/St. John school district; there are no public high schools on the island of St. John and St. John students commute to high school.

Why is Sisterhood Agenda implementing SHE? The project focus is prevention and healing. One in three girls is sexually abused by age 18. Women are 50% more likely than men to have high adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Those with high ACEs are significantly more likely to have mental health and substance abuse problems, chronic physical illnesses, and early death. Women with high ACEs are prone to depression, are more likely to become victims of rape and domestic violence; two-thirds of all suicide attempts are attributable to ACEs.

Tourists come to the USVI to heal, but youth in the USVI often do not experience healing. SHE implementation will be more intense this year, with emphasis on a newly expanded African-centered, trauma-informed, and gender-responsive approach. The main objective of the newly expanded SHE initiative is to recognize, address, and diminish multiple major health disparities for Black females and promote healthy behavior. Its approach is holistic with mental, physical, and spiritual considerations.

Specifically, the SHE project will create and implement an effective public health prevention project that can be replicated in other communities to reduce disease by impacting: 1) obesity and overweight, 2) reproductive health: HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, teen pregnancy, 3) cancer, 4) diabetes, 5) mental health, 6) violence, and 7) substance abuse. These are the unfortunate health outcomes that disproportionately affect women and girls of African descent.

Sisterhood Agenda will use evidence-based activities for SHE implementation targeting girls ages 10-17 in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  In addition to program activities, Sisterhood Agenda will recruit an intern and young bloggers to promote holistic health messages and healing with a viral marketing campaign. With successful local implementation and evaluation, SHE can scale for implementation in other communities.

Yes, we can all be SHE:  Sisters Healthy & Empowered!

• SHE Activity Guide (PDF)