Innovation In Health & Development

Change needed

To reduce the mortality and morbidity related to road traffic accident through raising awareness and policy advocacy on road safety and first aid in youth.

Why?

Over 3,400 people die on the world's roads every day and tens of millions of people are injured or disabled every year.
Children, pedestrians, cyclists and older people are among the most vulnerable of road users.
In Rwanda the Road Traffic Accident related deaths 3.16 % of total deaths.

What have we done?

In this pilot project, we have trained teachers from different secondary schools on road safety and first Aid who later helped us to teach health club students from their respective schools. We empowered students from respective schools through their health clubs. The trained health club students conducted the campaigns to disseminate the knowledge among their peers. Pre- and post-teaching test were carried out to evaluate the impact of the project among the students. Eight teachers from 4 different secondary schools were trained, about 180 health club students (90 males and 90 females) were taught first aid and road safety and about 1300 other students attended the campaigns in respective schools. The aim of the teachings carried out by students was to raise awareness about road safety and first aid among other students not part of the health clubs but also give the opportunity to students to exercise training their peers. The average age among the students taught was 16.5 years. At the end of the teachings 87% health club students were able, confident and equipped to teach their colleagues compared to 18% before the teachings

Workshops of HPR volunteers and Health club

Theory and practice were used during these workshops. Twenty HPR volunteers and 8 high school teachers were expected to attend the two workshops. 92.8% attended both workshops which is above the minimum success criteria of 80% that was set before the project. The gender ratio was 1:1, men to women and HPR volunteers were aged 24-30.The curriculum used has been developed by HPR and its partner organization the International Medical Cooperation committee (IMCC-FAIR).

Teaching Sessions of health clubs students by HPR volunteers

Health clubs in all 4 schools were made of students ranging between 50-60. However, they were grouped into small groups during teaching sessions. Teaching sessions were conducted from September to December 2016. At each school teaching sessions and 1 campaign was conducted. Before the first Session a pre-test was given to all participants from the students health clubs. At the end of third session post-test was given to monitor the improvement in knowledge. In total, we were expecting to teach 220 students on average in each of the eight schools. About 81.8% of expected number of students participated. The age of health club students was between 11-23 years. The gender distribution was male 52.2% and female 47.8%. Each session lasted 1h30-2hrs. At the end of the teachings 87% health club students were able, confident and equipped to teach their colleagues compared to 18% before the teachings.

Campaigns by trained health club students and teachers

We conducted students-led campaigns in four schools. Pull ups indicating the message regarding the goal of project were used, posters were installed in different areas in schools and remained there throughout the campaigns. Flyers were distributed to all students. In total we reached around 2000-2200 students in these four schools, about 1300 students (59%) have attended the campaigns, which is above the success criteria of 50%. About 50 students at each school have actively participated in the first Aid course. 440 students accepted to respond our questionnaire designed to evaluate the impact of the campaign among other students.

Advocacy meeting

In Advocacy meeting, we have invited different governmental and non governmental institutions, especially those working closely with youth and/or on road safety and first Aid. All invitees were fascinated by our project and pledged for their collaboration and suggested to expand nationwide.

Conclusion

This project was successful. Not only we raised the awareness among students but we initiated discussions and learning on road safety and first aid. We have built the capacity of students to teach their peers and these skills will apply to other health topics as well. Further, from our advocacy meeting that brought together different institutions and bodies such the Rwanda National Police, we have been encouraged to expend the project to more schools, driving schools and transportation agencies.

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Young Adolescents SRHR Education Project

This project consists of initiating a Teachers-Students long lasting education program through their teachers so as to provide Rwandan youth with better access to sexual and reproductive health education services. It was established to help tackle special teenagers’ aspects in sexual and reproductive health and rights including family planning. The major barriers to young people’s ability to access sexual and reproductive health education and services are primarily related to the attitudes of their teachers, characteristics of the health facilities they consult, the design of health services and provider’s attitudes and actions. This project consist of establishing a long-term education program for Youth sexual and Reproductive Health that involves selected and committed teachers from high schools in rural areas . We gather the attendees in a set aside area for appropriate delivery of reproductive health education to teens in a respectful, private and confidential way in collaboration with teachers in respective schools after we have trained them. All the above aim at educating and promoting preventive sexual behaviors among adolescent and youth and provide them with sufficient knowledge needed in puberty and adulthood with regard to reproductive health.

In order to create the right environment, the teaching sessions are combined with socializing activities like games and games. In this regard, an inter-school football and basketball tournaments are organized and the grand final mark the closing ceremonies for a specific project stage closure. There will is a tournament for male and one for female students. After this intensive phase of the project by our volunteers, the schools continue to run the teaching combined with socializing activities facilitated trained teachers and trained students leaders. In order to facilitate good communication and good scheduling of teaching sessions, teachers and students leaders at each of the schools remain in contact with HPR volunteers assigned to mentor specific schools.

The project intensive phase is for 6 weeks after which schools continue to run activities independently combined with sport activities to make the project activities more interesting and attractive. At the end of the project, two teachers are trained at each school, one male and one female, and around 240 students split in three groups at each of the schools. Simple certificates of recognition are awarded after completion to encourage trainees to concentrate on the teachings.