Beacon of Light: The Girl Guides Program—Mitigating the HIV Impact in Kenya by Involving Young Girl Guides and Their Parents
Council researchers evaluated the impact of the Kenya Girl Guides Association program "Peer Education on HIV and AIDS Prevention."
HIV infection rates among young Kenyan women outnumber those of young men by nearly six to one. Younger adolescents (10–15 years old) get most of their information about sexuality from their peers, who need to be equipped with accurate information and skills in order to better carry out their communication role.
The Kenya Girl Guides Association (KGGA) reaches over 100,000 school-going adolescents and has recently embarked on a "Peer Education on HIV and AIDS Prevention" program to equip girls and their peers with information and skills regarding HIV prevention and care.
The program trains Guide Leaders who in turn train Girl Guides in their respective units. Girl Guides then share information on HIV and AIDS among themselves and with peers in their schools, churches, and neighborhoods. Currently 775 schools and 342,435 girls are participating in the program. In addition to its work in Kenya, the program has trained Girl Guides from 28 other African countries.
Horizons evaluated the impact of this program in 57 primary schools in Rift Valley and Coast Provinces.
The evaluation found that the Kenya Girl Guides Association’s HIV/AIDS Peer Education Program had a positive impact on the Girl Guides’ social well-being, support for gender equity, attitudes toward people living with HIV, and HIV-related knowledge. But the program would need to be strengthened to extend the program’s positive results beyond the Girl Guides to their peers.
ecommendations for the program include:
- Strengthen program implementation.
- Focus on increasing self-confidence and competence among students.
- Continue to address gender equity.
- Incorporate informational and other strategies to reduce stigma.
- Continue to promote abstinence and delay of sexual debut.
- Address sexual activity among males.
- Ensure the provision of materials.
- Better brand the peer education program.
- Engage Guide Leaders in discussions before expanding the program.
- Strengthen program monitoring.
Banner photo: © Noor Ali/IRIN
Beacon of hope: Evaluation of the Kenya Girl Guides Association HIV/AIDS program for school children
(PDF)
Kiragu,Karusa; Odingo,George; Juma,Milka; Mbugua,Jane; Waweru,Magdalen; Mahinda,Wamuyu; Mwaniki,Beatrice; Muturi,Charity; Ochieng,Simon; Nelson,Tobey C.; McCauley,Ann P.
Horizons Final Report
Publication date: 2007
Project Stats
Location: Kenya (Rift Valley and Coast provinces)
Program(s):
HIV and AIDS
Topic(s):
HIV prevention
Sexuality education
Duration: 9/2004 - 6/2007
Non-Council collaborators:
Family Health International/IMPACT Project
Kenya Girls Guides Association
PATH-Kenya
Get Involved
- Make a contribution to the Population Council
- Honor a loved one with a gift in their name
- Sign up to receive e-mail announcements
Connect
