Life Skills Education and Counseling - Mpumiro - Mpumiro Primary School

Visit by Lorna Katagara on 2021-03-03

Report ID
12183
Created by
Lorna Katagara
Created date
2021-03-04 07:12:57 UTC
Modified by
Lorna Katagara
Modified date
2021-03-04 09:21:06 UTC
Trip Time
10:30-17:15 (6 h 45 m)
Village Time
12:30-15:00 (2 h 30 m)
Travel Time
4 h 15 m

Life Skills Education and Counseling community lesson

School
Mpumiro Primary School 
Lesson Taught
Personal Hygiene 
Girls Attended
Boys Attended
Total Student Attendance
Teachers Attended
Fathers Attended
Mothers Attended
12 
Total Parent Attendance
21 
Staff Attendees
Lorna Katagara 
Government Attendees
LC1 
School Staff Attendees
Life Skills Teacher 
Visitor Attendees
None 
Total Attendance
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson both men and women , girls and boys know that they have an important role to play in the menstrual hygiene and management of their wives and girl child
Notes
Introduction Lorna went to to Mpumiro village where she taught on Menstrual hygiene and management and the Bridge model. Menstrual hygiene and management is part of Personal hygiene and is taught to improve knowledge and attitudes concerning menstrual hygiene and management among men, women, boys and girls . The Bridge model on the other hand entails using the information one has got to enhance change in behavior. Objective To promote girl child education through spending more time in school than at home during menstruation Improving knowledge and attitudes and practices among girls , boys, women and men in the community. Overview When Lorna reached at the meeting place, she found only the chairman and we discussed how ready they were for the borehole as we waited for other community members .After waiting a while, the community members started showing up and when the quorum was enough for the meeting, we decided to start the meeting. The meeting was started with a word of prayer and after that they did a review of the previous lesson.Lorna then introduced the topic of the day Menstrual Hygiene and Management. This is not a topic that many people love to discuss openly but it’s important that when people can openly share about it, we understand the challenges and how to address this issues together. Lorna started by asking the men if they should be involved in this period and about 3 men mentioned that yes they need to be involved. Aziz the chairman mentioned as him he should be involved because he is a Muslim and during this time the women are considered unclean and she should not be touching his clothes, food so he helps out during this time. Another man mentioned that at this time the woman needs to be clean and therefore his involvement should be buying soap for his wife and girls . Another man mentioned that as the man he needs to ensure that he buys his children pads and knickers. The women clapped for the men and Lorna that it’s good if they are participating. When Lorna asked the women if the men should be involved, they said yes because they have lots of needs during this time. Lorna encouraged the men to participate and help their wives and girls in this time especially with facilities like latrines, bathrooms and buying soap, pads . We also looked at premenstral symptoms and also how to manage signs. Lorna asked the community what these signs are and again one man mentioned ; backache, headache , stomach pain. Lorna asked the women if this was true and they said yes but it’s not the same for everyone . Lorna shared her signs and what happens to her during this time too and this made them open up too. Others like breast enlargement, tenderness, warm hands, mood swings, cravings among others. We also looked at what the women and girls use during this time and thr6 mentioned pads but they were not telling the truth. Lorna mentioned that she knows there those that can buy pads but there those that use clothes. Lorna moved with reusable pads and the usual pads and showed the community how they look like as well as their maintenance. Under maintenance , Lorna mentioned that in this period, the girls need to be very clean or else they will smell and that they need facilities to support them during this time and that’s where boys and men need to be involved. Lorna moved with reusable pads and the usual pads and showed the community how they look like as well as their maintenance. She encouraged parents to notice these signs prior to help their children prepare for this time to avoid embarrassment and school dropout. She asked them to buy or sew for their children these pads so they keep in School. We also looked st cramp management like; taking hot water, taking a warm bath, taking a pain killer, exercising , putting a warm cloth on ones stomach and they also told Lorna what they use for cramps management when she asked them. She asked Parents to talk to their children so they are not scared and that it’s normal and a gift from God a sign for fertility. And the boys not to laugh at the girls. On the Bridge model, Lorna asked the community what are some of the risk factors affecting the children, youths in this community or in general what those risks were. They mentioned peer pressure, alcohol and drugs, early pregnancy, early marriages, Abortion among others. Lorna then showed them an illustration of the Bridge model and she asked them the importance of the bridge and they said to get one person from one end to the other. Lorna said this was tight and mentioned the importance of the bridge model introduces us to different Life Skills we need in life. She told them that we have a lot of information on us but we stand on this information and went ahead and asked them people know how HIv is transmitted but does that mean people are not being infected everyday? , she mentioned that people know early marriages are bad but don’t we hear parents who give up their children for early marriages?? They said yes they do and different other examples. She mentioned the Bridge model introduces us to how we can put this information to use by building a bridge between information and behavioral change which is a positive healthy lifestyle. She mentioned that these are the skills in Life Skills like Communication Skills, HIv/ AIDS Awareness , Relationship , negotiation skills among others. Conclusion The community members came late and they seemed tired Lorna decided to end the lesson and they world begin from there on the next meeting, she left them with homework on Values of Education. She thanked them for coming and asked that they each tell someone about the next meeting. 
Next Visit
2021-03-10 - Purpose: Teach on values of Education
Program Success
No
Program Critical Needs
Values of aeducation
Program Ownership
Community participation
Other Program Observations
The community is almost ready for drilling. Some handstands were broken due to not putting enough cement but Lorna encouraged them to work on them.
Program Expected Of Village
Mobilise themselves for the next meeting
Program Staff Preparations Next Visit
Call prior and prepare the notes for the day.
 

Report Photos

17124 Chairman Aziz thanking the community members for coming to the meeting and encouraging them to put whatever they are being taught into practice.
17127 In this picture the chairman was showing me some of the herbs they use in the community for coming down menstrual cramps .