In 1999 APWA conducted a research on adolescent sexual health, knowledge, attitude and practices. This research was conducted at APWA's seven outlets and around Karachi, and involved 200 young men and women. The result was an eye opener! Confusion, fears, misconception ignorance were the issues that troubled the youth. Based on this study World Population Foundation approved an Adolescent Health Awareness Project for APWA.

The project had 3 components:

1. Adolescent Health Awareness

2. Service Deliver

3. Training

The Adolescent Development Project had a very positive and beneficial effect on our youth. The Life Skills Based Education Project - LSBE, was offered to APWA in 2005. The programme focused on providing a comprehensive health education curriculum for schools that help the youth to better understand themselves and make healthy and positive choices in their lives. It was implemented in Karachi through private schools. The curriculum included developing skills to protect the young from use of drugs, unhealthy sexual practices. The partner school's teachers were given professional training and tools that would help them to guide the students.

In July 2005, the first phase of LSBE Programme was initiated in collaboration with 18 private schools of Karachi. Selected Teachers from these schools were provided 5 days training at Nathiagali and after the training they started conducting sessions twice a week in their schools. Teachers are provided with manuals and students with workbooks to carry out the sessions according to the curriculum of LSBE. They agreed that the programme:

• a) Helped in enhancing facilitation skills.

 

• b) Focused on improving self-awareness, facilitation and communication skills.

 

• c) Involved teachers in activities such as meetings and trainings for enhancing their skills.

 

• d) Students have started sharing with their parents and teachers their views, which has helped in minimizing the gap between them.

 

• e) Students are able to make right choices regarding their health and resisting negative and harmful behavior.

 

WPF extended its programme for another year up to March 2007. After March, APWA carried on this programme with a very small budget from WPF with a skeleton staff only. To date 32 schools have been included, 60 teachers were given training and over 2000 students have benefited from this programme. The participatory approach for learning makes it more interesting for both the teachers and students and provides the students the opportunities to share their views and practice their new skills.

 

In the beginning of the programme the project team faced many hurdles. Principals, who were also owners of the schools were against adopting such a curriculum. According to them it was dwelling on "sex education". They were frightened that the parents would remove their children from the school so that they would not be corrupted.

 

It is heartening to note that in spite of all the resistance and pressure the participating schools did not give up and supported the programme. The students felt that they had greatly benefited and were able to discuss problems related to their sexual health.

 

The confidence they gained seemed to have changed their lives. Even the selected teachers who had gone through training workshops and have been attending professional development forum meetings and refresher trainings reported that they now have better communication skills and are more knowledgeable and confident about the subject.

 

APWA was aware that HIV and AIDS are taboo subjects in our society but it was also felt that it was high time to Break the Silence and take up the challenge. It is suicidal to refuse to accept the fact that the epidemic is not only present in our country but is spreading so fast that it is turning into a menace. Being very relevant to APWA's own objectives it was decided to make this programme a part of our manifesto.