The World Starts With Me (WSWM) is a Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) program implemented by SchoolNet Uganda in partnership with the participating schools with the financial support of the World Population Foundation (WPF). 150 secondary schools across the country participated in the 2010 WSWM project cycle and 18,892 students (10,600 girls and 8,292 boys) completed the WSWM curriculum in 2010.
SchoolNet Uganda and WPF in partnership with the participating schools organized a 5-day WSWM Student Peer Educator Training Camp which was held at Gayaza High School (6th -10th) Dec 2010 for the 50 schools that had not had a student peer educator trained in 2009.
Each of the participating schools was responsible for setting the selection criteria for the student who represented the school but the criteria included among other things, a student who has a passion for WSWM, knowledgeable about the WSWM curriculum, having good interpersonal and communication skills, practices what WSWM stands for, well behaved and trainable, good at mobilizing other students and had at least one more year in the school.
The schools were responsible for the transportation of the students representing the schools to and from Gayaza High School. SchoolNet Uganda and WPF were responsible for the accommodation, feeding and training costs (materials and facilitators) for one student from each of the invited schools.
Participants of the National WSWM Students Peer Educators workshop reported on the afternoon of Sun 23rd August 2009 and departed on the morning of Sat 29th August 2009.
The trained WSWM Student Peer Educators were to be responsible for mobilizing students for WSWM activities and lessons, assisting the WSWM teachers in conducting some of the WSWM lessons under the teachers’ guidance and for mobilizing students for the WSWM exhibition – Lesson 14
Schools in attendance
43 schools out of the 50 schools that were invited sent their students to be trained in the camp and these schools included: Arua Public Girls School (Arua), Amuria secondary School (Amuria), St. Mary’s College Lacor (Amuru), Masheruka Secondary School (Bushenyi), Gulu college (Gulu), Alliance High School (Nansana), Trinity College Gulu (Gulu), St. John Buwaya Secondary School (Iganga), Busedde College (Jinja), St. John SS Ikumba (Kabale), Bishop Dunstan Nsubuga Memorial SS (Kalangala), Namirembe Hillside High School (Wakiso), Muyenga High School (Kampala), Karambi Secondary School (Kasese), Kitgum Comprehensive Girls SS (Kitgum), Masindi Secondary School (Masindi), Gombe Community Polytechnic (Mpigi), St. Balikuddembe Secondary school Kisoga (Mukono), Lweru Secondary School (Mukono), Rock High School (Tororo), Buwule Memorial High (Wakiso), St. Kizito High School Kireka (Wakiso), Yumbe Secondary School (Yumbe), Kings College Budo (Wakiso), Mt. Rwenzori Girls Secondary School (Kasese), Nakanyonyi Girls SS (Jinja), Angel High School (Kampala), Emma High School (Kampala), Trinity High School (Kawempe), High Standard Christian Secondary School Kateera (Kiboga), Holy Family Kyamuliibwa Secondary School (Masaka), Kako Secondary School (Masaka), St. Elizabeth Secondary School Nkoowe (Wakiso), Aringa Secondary School (Yumbe), Lubiri Secondary School (Kampala), Dabani Girls ,Bwera Secondary School, Usuk secondary School, Iganga Secondary School, St.Katherine Secondary school (Lira), Kiira College Butiki (Jinja)
The National WSWM Student Peer Educator’ Workshop Objectives:
The camp was conducted with the aim of achieving the following objectives:
- To provide the WSWM students from different schools across the country an opportunity to interact both formally and informally for the purpose of networking and knowledge sharing.
- To provide WSWM students an opportunity to brainstorm some of the SRHR issues faced by the youth in schools and out of schools, share possible consequences and possible solutions to the SRHR issues with purpose of building their capacity to avoid risk behavior and situations, negotiate themselves out of risky situations and make independent but informed healthy decisions about their lives.
- To provide students with an in-depth knowledge of some of the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues covered within the WSWM curriculum in particular Lesson 6: “Fight for your Rights” , Lesson 7: “Sexuality and Love”, Lesson 8: Pregnancy for Girls and Boys too”, Lesson 9: “Protect yourself against STIs and HIV/AIDS”, Lesson 10: “HIV/AIDS you have a Role to Play” ,Lesson 12: “My Future Dreams”.
- To clarify some of the myths and misconceptions regarding youth Sexual Reproductive Health particularly with regard to pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS prevention.
- To develop and enhance students’ ICT skills and capacity to use Internet as a learning resource and a resource for health information.
- To introduce the WSWM student peer educators to the WSWM online support
centre (http://www.schoolnetuganda.sc.ug/wswmonlinesupport/) - To build students’ knowledge and skills in communication, public speech, script writing and skit acting.
- To involve students in developing and producing multimedia youth friendly Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) materials
- To provide career guidance to the students and build their self-esteem through the use of role models and inspirational talk by young people.
- To get students’ suggestions and ideas of how to improve the WSWM program in schools both quantitatively and qualitatively.
- To create a national network of WSWM students who will continue collaborating using ICT even after the camp.
- To collect WSWM student voices, artifacts and testimonies.
A detailed narrative report can be downloaded using the link below
It was okay and i believe students got the basic skills of World Starts with Me….