Empowering children through life skills education at school in Zambia

UNICEF Zambia has been working hard with Oxfam and other partners to make education a reality for Girls in Zambia. This has included training community school teachers reaching 20,000 orphans and vulnerable children and promoting best practise in districts where girl’s enrolment in schools is very low. One area which is crucial to girls is reducing their risk of HIV. Education through school or community education is vital to achieve this.

Life skills education empowers children and young adults to reduce their risk of HIV infection and helps to promote environments that are protective and nurturing. This is particularly important for girls who often have less access to school and can miss out on potentially life-saving information. Education also helps to ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected.

In addition to life skills, other topics covered include knowledge of HIV and AIDS and related issues such as early marriage, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), traditional sexual practices, teenage pregnancies, as well as boy/girl relationships.

The focus on youth-led activities such as sport, drama and community radio makes the programmes more attractive and exciting to children and young people.

Soccer Aid 2006 funds have supported:

• In Luapula province, 80 girls to have access to education through service of weekly boarding facilities, where the journey to school was too dangerous for girls in particular, causing them to drop-out.
• Research on high drop-out rates in Luapula Province to design better programmes to help girls get access to school.
• The provision of “edutainment” activities for all children in 10 selected compounds in Lusaka.
• A training programme for 61 community school teachers, who will reach at least 20,000 orphans and vulnerable children.
• The provision of sports equipment to schools and communities for 20,000 children. Organised leisure activities will help to reduce antisocial and risky behaviour, including delinquency.
• Sports camps through which 600 children from 60 schools in three districts were trained in life skills and peer education.
• The training of 100 children from community schools as peer facilitators.
• The formation and training of community-based drama groups, peer educators and counsellors.
• Reaching 200 rural young people with HIV and AIDS knowledge and life skills through peer education, use of community radio and other media.
• The education of 200 young people through the anti-stigma and discrimination training programme.

Funds will support programmes until to the end of 2008

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