Episode 2: Dating
DAGU ADDIS Youth radio magazine program
phase IV
47 episodes
Table of contentS
| |Page |
|1) Introduction |3 |
|2) Design Team Members |3 |
|3) Justification/Rationale |4 |
|4) Project Objectives |5 |
|5) Audience Profile |6 |
|6) Justification for the Medium |8 |
|7) Overall Series Measurable Objectives, |8 |
|Purpose and Message | |
|8) Emotional Focus and Tone |9 |
|9) Number and Duration of Episodes |9 |
|10) Episode Structure |9 |
|11) Script Review Process and Team |10 |
|12) Episode-wise Content |12 |
|Topics (rearrange to reflect broadcast schedule) | |
|1. Chewanet mindin new? |16 |
|2. Cross-generational sex |18 |
|3. Quitting |20 |
|4. Teacher Student Sexual Relationship |22 |
|5. Virginity: What is it good for? |24 |
|6. What we live for |26 |
|7. What I did for Love |27 |
|8. Enjoyable/Turning Point |28 |
|9. Social Media and Appropriate Use of the Internet |29 |
|10. Setting Boundaries and Limits with Friends |30 |
|11. Gambling with Life |31 |
|12. My Culture, My Identity |32 |
|13. Popularity |33 |
|14. Gossip |34 |
|15. Beyond Day Party |36 |
|16. A Walk From Home to School |38 |
|17. My Own Little Room |40 |
|18. What Money Can't Fix! |42 |
|19. Divorce and its Consequences |43 |
|20. Reap What You Sow! |45 |
|21. The Only Way Out is to Go in! The Answer is within |47 |
|22. Concealed Truths |49 |
|23. MCP |51 |
|24. Think BIG |53 |
|25. First sex and its Emotions |55 |
|26. My Body, My Temple |56 |
|27. Personal Responsibilities-No Excuses! |57 |
|28. Disability and Romantic Relationships |58 |
|29. Stop Begging! |60 |
|30. Hopelessness |62 |
|31. In Search of a Better Life |63 |
|32. Youth and Prison |64 |
|33. Self Determination |67 |
|34. Loving Oneself |69 |
|35. Group Fight |71 |
|36. Abstinence and its Challenge |73 |
|37. Communication on Sexual Issues |75 |
|38. Fatherhood |77 |
|39. Healthy ways of getting income |78 |
|40. Self Awareness |80 |
|41. Understanding Adolescent Years |82 |
|42. What Parents KNOW but don't SAY! |84 |
Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
AIDS Resource Center
DAGU Addis YOUTH RADIO MAGAZINE PROGRAM
PHASE IV Design Document
I. INTRODUCTION
DAGU Addis is a 30-minute weekly radio magazine program for young people in Addis Ababa. The name “DAGU” refers to a traditional communication system in rural Ethiopia where anytime a person travels, he/she exchanges all the news he/she knows with every person they meet. The aim of this program is to increase young people’s perception of their susceptibility to HIV infection, increase their self-efficacy with respect to HIV prevention and to delay sexual debut among young people who are not sexually active. The program has been on air for almost three years. Based on positive feedback from listeners, DAGU is entering a fourth phase of development and implementation.
School-based media are critical because they can create a supportive environment for both individual and collective change. School programs reach individuals as well as groups of youth who socialize together. Such mass communication can carry health messages beyond individuals to peer networks, schools, and even communities. Implemented effectively, school-based communication has the potential to extend behavior change from the individual to a broader social response.
DAGU Addis’ primary target audience is 15-20 years old youth attending high schools in Addis Ababa. The secondary audiences are out of school students, university students, parents and teachers. DAGU uses school mini media and listener discussion group sto reach its primary audience. The FM broadcast reaches out to both primary and secondary audience to foster an enabling environment for change.
The DAGU program utilizes entertainment education to engage the attention and interest of its audience. The school mini-media and FM radio broadcast are linked to the National HIV Hotline Wegen 952. Feedback is monitored and collected from 952 as well as listener discussion groups and a special DAGU feedback line at the National AIDS Resource Center in Addis Ababa. Students trained to to develop radio programs also help with the mini media implementation. Additionally, program managers are currently strengthening capacity of school counselors and teachers to help students. To facilitate a supportive environment for behavior change among youth, DAGU continues to collaborate with community groups, parents and other organizations to reinforce the health communication messages.
The DAGU team at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs (CCP) AIDS Resource Center (ARC) implements the program with funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This design document serves as a blueprint the DAGU radio magazine program’s fourth phase. The document will help writers and producers create program episodes that will meet the critical information needs of the intended audience in an entertaining way.
II. DESIGN TEAM MEMBERS
This document was designed in a participatory workshop led by CCP/ARC staff with technical support from CCP Baltimore. Sofnias Nega and Sulieman Shifaw facilitated the workshop with Dagu Radio Program team Fasil Gebreyohannes, Henok Mekonnen, Eden Geremew, Solomon Yohannes and Nigat Maru.
Seven in and out of school youth and representatives from Save Your Generation Ethiopia, Hiwot Ethiopia, Panos Ethiopia, PMC and Lambadina participated in the workshop. The DAGU team conveys heartfelt thanks to these participants for their valuable contribution to the development of design document .
Workshop Participants
|No |Name of Participant |Organization/School |
| |Abi Fekadu |Save Your Generation Ethiopia |
| |Andarege Fentaw |Menilik Preparatory School |
| |Beza Seyoum |CCP (Dagu Intern) |
| |Biniam Wubeshet |CCP (MARCH Project) |
| |Eden Geremew |CCP (Dagu Program) |
| |Edget Bekele |Out of School Youth |
| |Fasil Gebreyohannes |CCP (Dagu Program) |
| |Frehiwot |Hiwot Ethiopia |
| |Hailemariam Mesfen |Panos Ethiopia |
| |Henok Mekonen |CCP (Dagu Program) |
| |Hilina Neguse |CCP (MARCH Project) |
| |Kalkidan Yemiru |Out of School Youth |
| |Kirubel Tesfaye |CCP (Dagu Intern) |
| |Luam G/selase |In school Youth |
| |Mesay Hailu |Entoto Amba High school |
| |Meseret Tigistu |CCP (Dagu Intern) |
| |Nahom Tesfaye |CCP (Dagu Intern) |
| |Negat Maru |CCP (Betengna) |
| |Selome Desta |PMC |
| |Shemeles Biru |In School Youth |
| |Sofnias Nega |CCP |
| |Solomon Yohannes |CCP (Dagu Program) |
| |Suleman Shifaw |CCP |
| |Tsega Tamene |CCP (Intern) |
| |Usnia Seyfu |Out of School Youth |
| |Yonas Alemu |Lambadina |
III. RATIONALE AND JUSTIFICATION
Among Ethiopia’s most urgent health priorities is curtailing the rapid spread of HIV among young people. With 43% of the population under the age of 15, growing numbers of young people risk exposure to HIV as they become sexually active. In 2004, HIV prevalence among 15 to 24 year olds was 12%, the highest of any age group.[1] Remarkably low levels of comprehensive HIV knowledge persist among young people. According to the 2005 HIV/AIDS Behavioral Surveillance Survey, only 22.6% of in-school young people could name three HIV prevention methods and had correct beliefs about HIV transmission. Comprehensive knowledge was considerably lower among female students than males (17.8 vs. 27.3%), a worrisome statistic given girls’ higher susceptibility to HIV infection.
Changing young people’s sexual attitudes and behaviors is especially challenging because until they reach their mid-20s, most young people have a poor perception of personal risk. Strong feelings of invulnerability distort their sense of danger, making unsafe behaviors appear routine. Nine in 10 students surveyed in 2005 considered themselves at low or no risk for HIV infection.[2]
Even among sexually active, in-school youth (ISY) with more than one partner or engaged in risky sex, 48% considered themselves to be at low or no risk of HIV infection.[3] Despite being aware of HIV, over a third (34.1%) of sexually active ISY had sex without a condom during the last 12 months. Sexually active female students were more likely to have engaged in risky sex than their sexually active male peers (43.1 vs. 30.9%).[4] Unless young people are convinced that their risk of HIV is real, they will have little incentive to protect themselves from infection.
A 2002 study conducted in Ethiopia found three significant differences between urban youth who used condoms and those who did not: 1) Perceived susceptibility to HIV infection; 2) Perceived severity of HIV infection; and, 3) Perceived self-efficacy in using condoms. Of all these factors, perceived self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of condom use.[5] In this case, self-efficacy refers to more than knowing how to put on a condom, but to the range of communication skills related to condom use.
Good communication is fundamental to prevention, whether in discussing abstinence with a partner, seeking a commitment to monogamy or deciding to be tested for HIV. Young people need strong communication skills not only to negotiate condom use, but at every stage of sexual behavior. A person’s belief in his/her ability to protect himself/herself from HIV (self-efficacy) is closely tied to communication skills. Risky sexual behavior often results from embarrassment and discomfort rather than lack of knowledge.
Over the last three years, the DAGU Radio Program has become a popular source of entertainment and information for young people. It is important for young people to have consistent and correct reinforcement of healthier sexual behaviors. It is also important for young people to analyze the underlying issues that affect self-efficacy and help them make healthier decisions. Different feedback mechanisms have channeled input, feedback and concerns of young people to the DAGU team. Feedback indicates that DAGU is touching youth in a new and creative way and they are listening and talking about it. Feedback also indicated a need to take other audiences such as parents or schoolteachers into account to generate a more supportive environment for the individual behavioral changes young people are making. DAGU is reaching youth, so the program team decided to extend DAGU into a fourth phase of 42 episodes.
IV. DAGU PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The program aims to:
1. Increase students’ perception of their susceptibility to HIV infection;
2. Increase the percentage of students reporting increased self-efficacy with respect to HIV prevention; and,
3. Delay sexual debut among students who are not sexually active.
V. AUDIENCE PROFILE
Primary audience
Male and female young people in first and second cycle high schools (9th – 12th grade), aged 15 – 20
In School Youth Male (Daniel Desta-aka DD)
Daniel is a 17-year-old slick who likes to smile. He lives in Addis Ababa around Kuas Meda. His friends call him by his nickname, DD. He likes Hollywood movies and American hip-hop music. He is a big fan of P Diddy and dreams of attending a live Jay-Z's concert one day. He also enjoys Facebook and Twitter. He dreams about becoming a medical doctor, but he spends most of his time out of place. He does not make any effort towards realizing his dream. It is no more than just a wish. Daniel has a bright mind and lots of potential but it is wasted due to his inability to resist peer pressure. He is not ready for the school exit examination; hence he fears he won't make it to campus. He thinks that he will pass his exam from what he only listens in class. He never misses class.
Five years ago, his parents divorced and he moved into a condominium with his mother. After the divorce, his father became nonexistent in his life. His mother is a marketing graduate and works in a government office as a purchaser. She spoils him because he is her only son. She never scolds him even when he sometimes goes beyond his limits. As a result, Daniel gets annoyed whenever she tries to give him advice.
Daniel is usually a very private person. He has a girlfriend at school; but he also has many sexual partners at Channel 5, a nightclub that he hangs out at all the time. He doesn’t really care about hearing about HIV and uses condoms only sometimes. He takes risk.
Daniel has many friends at Channel 5 and sometimes helps out the DJs. He has a very close friend named Jozy. Recently, Daniel has become (____). Jozy’s influence on Daniel has played a large part into Daniel’s recent risky behavior. For example, Daniel recently had sex with a CSW. Daniel cannot resist Jozy's peer pressure. On top of all of this, Daniel feels torn between attending school and spending his time at Channel 5.
In School Youth Female (Blen Hailu)
Blen Hailu is an attractive 17-year-old girl, with big brown eyes, a smiling face, and long curly hair. She is 1.65m tall and weighs 47 kilos. She lives in Addis Ababa around Arat Kilo. She is 10th grader in Miskaye Hizunan School. She just recently took her matriculation exam and is waiting for her results. Although Blen does not study well, she does not think that she will fail in her exams. At school, she has a teacher who encourages her to do better in her studies.
Blen’s parents are divorced and she lives with her father and younger brother. Her mother left her when she was 13 years old and as a result, Blen has a rough relationship with her. She has a sister, but is not close with her since she lives with her mother. Blen is not happy with her family life and always tries to find happiness outside from her family. The problems in her family life have had a negative impact on her personality. Her father provides her with financial support, but they don’t really communicate with each other. She doesn’t discuss or share her feelings with him. Blen gets annoyed when people at school show her pity about her parents' divorce and when people tease her about it on the street.
She enjoys going out with her friends who tell her many stories about nightlife, partying, reading books, films and slow music. She also participates in different literary and artistic activities of her school's Arts Club.
Blen has a boyfriend who is a 12th grade student. She has a good sex life with him. To relax, she goes out with him and sometimes they spend the night together and have sex. She has another boyfriend who is a university student and lives on campus. He treats, comforts and takes care of her. She does not have sex with this boyfriend.
Blen knows about Reproductive Health, Family Planning and HIV but has never felt that she could contract HIV.
Secondary audience:
Out of school youth, parents, and teachers
Out of School Youth Male (Gezahegne)
Gezahegne is 19 years old. He is 1.7m with light skin tone and soft hair that he sometimes wears in funky twists. He wears flip-flops, t-shirts and jeans. It has been 4 years since Gezahegne stopped going to school. His parents are divorced and he lives with his mother and three brothers near Teklehaimanot. One of his brothers is a freshman in a university. His father married another woman and lives in front of their house. His family is own a small-scale business making brushes and brooms.
People call him "Duriyew" (the naughty boy) and he detests people who tell him to find a job or talk about work. For much of the day, he sits on a rock in front of Bedru's shop and teases or insults females passing by or going to the shop. Because he’s always there, people ask Gezahegne how the day went in the neighborhood on their way back from work. He usually does odd jobs loading and unloading goods and helping around the kebele. After 5:00pm, he goes to the gym around Lideta and lifts weights.
Although Gezahegne is sociable with people of the neighborhood, he doesn’t get along with Bedru. Gezahegne always borrows things from Bedru’s shop, but doesn't pay (and sometimes threatens Bedru). He drinks a lot, so much so that he has earned the nickname-"Ttasaw" (The Jug). He usually hangs out in a Ttella Bet (bar which sells homemade beer) and drinks alcohol whenever he gets money. His other interests include playing football, crashing weddings and funerals, and playing cards. Every Saturday and Sunday morning, he plays football. He also loves to watch football, in particular the English Premier League.. He is a big fan of Arsenal FC. He also plays cards (conquer). He sometimes wins around 300 birr but hasn't lost more than 50 birr.
Most of the boys in the neighborhood fear Gezahegne. He has been in jail twice due to his involvement in group fights. He has a friend named Wondesen who he looks up to. Gezahegne listens and does whatever Wondesen says and asks.
Gezahegne is sociable and walks around with women who have returned home from working in Arab countries (Qifela). He goes out and has sex a lot but he does not use condoms.
His life’s dream is to go to an Arab country, steal about 100,000 birr worth like Dubale (a notorious guy who actually is making a living by doing so) and buy a taxi to operate in Addis Ababa. Apart from the money he gets from the loading and unloading, he makes his money by tricking the women he hangs out with into giving him their money . People don't know Gezahegne very well. They wouldn’t believe all the shocking things he does.
Out of School Female (Elfie Estifanos)
Elfie is 21 years old. She has a light skin, big eyes, braids and she smiles a lot. She was born in Gondar, Dembia. She lives and works around Autobus Tera. She came to Addis Ababa from Gondar because she could not get along with her stepmother and was also a victim of early marriage. In Addis, she first stayed with her aunt who couldn't have a child. However, after her aunt retired and life became more difficult, she started working as a maid in people’s houses. After saving some money, she was able to start a small business selling tea, coffee and biscuits for the taxi drivers and their "weyalas"(conductors).
Elfie failed to pass grade 8 although she sat for the exam three times. She lives with a roommate and has a low income lifestyle. She enjoys making coffee and iskista dancing. She has a friend named Abeba who worked in an Arab country and has inspired Elfie to do the same. Elfie's life goal is to go to an Arab country, work, come back to Ethiopia, make a better living and help her little brother.
Saving money and outgoing personality are her strengths. She enjoys talking with people and loves helping out her brother. She is scared of losing her brother and doesn't want him to have troubles like she did. She gets annoyed and frustrated when the taxi drivers take off without paying, when business is down/slow and when her aunt abuses her little brother. She dreams about saving lots of money, getting married and living a better life. She believes that money will solve all of her problems. People see Elfie as a foolish but generous person.
Her weaknesses are that she puts her trust in me without caution. She often rushes into going out with different men while she is reluctant (saying no to sex) at times. She has little knowledge and awareness about HIV and family planning. She does not know much about condom use while having sex with the taxi drivers and "weyalas"/callers/conductors.
Parent (Ato Tamirat Kebede)
Ato Tamirat is a 45 year old father. His hair is balding on the top and is beginning to gray. He always wears a tie. He was born and raised in Gondar but lives in Addis near Haya Hulet in a kebele house. He has two daughters and a son, 15, 12 and 10 years old respectively. His wife is a housewife. He is the man of the house and he makes all decisions within the house. He studied accounting and earns 3,500 per month working at the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.
Ato Tamirat does not communicate very well with his kids whatsoever. He doesn't ask the kids about school but he does wish to see his children succeed academically. He enjoys drinking draught with his friends at the jumbo house but he is not really socially active nor is he close with his neighbors. He does not get involved in social organizations like idirs and iqubs. All of his time is spent in a home-work-jumbo house triangle. Whenever Ato Tamirat hangs out with his friends at the jumbo house, he likes to discuss politics in the newspapers. He worries about the country’s situation. Retirement is his deepest fear since the cost of living is increasing every day and he doesn't have any other means of income.
Ato Tamirat is knowledgeable about of HIV and Family Planning. He and his wife have three children because he decided she would take contraceptives and they would plan their family.
Teacher (Menkir Dalocha)
Menkir Dalocha is a 30 year old Biology teacher. He is dark skinned with white gapped teeth and coarse hair. Born in Gamo, he now lives in Addis Ababa in a rented house with a table, bed, TV set and a chair. His family lives in Gamo and make their living by farming and weaving. He has two sisters and two brothers. He loves his family and calls them often.
Menkir earned a BA Degree and has been teaching for five years. He is close with his coworkers from school but he is always angry about his salary. He works hard but he does not earn very much. People respect him but they feel sorry for him for being a teacher. His worst nightmare is to remain a teacher. Although he falls in the lower income bracket, he dreams of establishing his own construction company called “Menkir Construction." He studies construction related courses under a big tree in his compound. His strength is that he strives to change himself. His weaknesses are his anger and insulting people.
Menkir enjoys playing checkers, chess and watching football games. He knows how to surf the Internet and likes listening to specific radio programs; but he doesn't like ETV. He is not in a relationship but dates and has sex with different women. During these dates, he uses condoms. He tricks female students into having sex with him by threatening them with bad grades. Even though he often falls short of money, he smokes, chews chat and drinks alcohol with his colleagues. His mood doesn't get along with the people of Addis thus the difficulties communicating with females. Although he would like to get married, he believes that marriage is not a priority at this time since he needs to change his life first.
VI. JUSTIFICATION FOR MEDIUM
DAGU uses mini media and FM Radio to reach its audience.
Mini Media
← DAGU’s 15 high schools are now equipped with functioning mini media programs where young students broadcast health related programs over the school intercom
← Mini media is inexpensive with wide coverage among schools
← Mini media can reach a large number of the intended audience of in-school youth (primary) and teachers (secondary)
FM Radio
← FM Radio is affordable with good coverage
← FM Radio has a wider coverage than any other mass medium
← FM Radio is a trusted medium, with a strong capacity to demonstrate of vital life skills, such as communication, that young people need to learn
← FM Radio is portable and can be listened to in a variety of environments
← Adolescents can choose to listen to the radio alone or with family members
← FM Radio reaches the secondary audiences such as out-of-school youth and parents
VII. OVERALL SERIES MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES, PURPOSE AND MESSAGE
After the broadcast of all 42 episodes, there will be an increase in the number of young people who:
Know
▪ The facts about HIV/AIDS
▪ How to behave in the ‘real arada’ manner (modern, healthy, confident, smart)
▪ What a healthy relationship is
▪ That it is normal for young people to feel sexually aware and to have questions about sex
▪ That it is normal and possible for young people to want to delay having sex until they are ready
▪ That both partners should discuss with each other when to have sex before ending up in a situation that could lead to sex
▪ That both partners should be ready and willing to have sex before they have sex
▪ The consequences, risks, and responsibilities of unintended pregnancy for boys and girls
▪ The benefits of open communication with partners, parents, and other trusted adults
▪ The importance of being assertive about their desires and needs
▪ How to resist harmful peer pressure
▪ How to select friends who are positive influences
▪ Where to go for information, advice, and help and that there are people who care about them who they can turn to for help or advice
Do
There will be an increase in the number of program listeners who:
▪ Report increased knowledge of HIV/AIDS and reproductive health issues
▪ Report increased communication with parents and partners about relationships, sex, and respect
▪ Report taking more positive actions to practice healthier behaviors
Attitude
▪ Young people in the designated age group will be confident about their knowledge and their ability to make decisions and control their own lives wisely. Young people will feel and express respect for and learn from each other.
Overall Purpose of the Series
❖ To encourage young people to express their desires and needs with family and partners
❖ To demonstrate to young people some of the necessary negotiation skills in staying safe and having healthy relationships
❖ To inform young people where they can find counseling and help as they transition to adulthood.
❖ To motivate young people to want to lead positive and fulfilling lives and to seek help when they need it.
Overall Series Message:
A few themes will run through the program – increasing communication with family and partners, seeking information from trusted sources of correct information and increasing young people’s perception that they are susceptible to HIV. Various issues will be reinforced by exploring and clarifying the concepts of ‘you can’t know if someone has HIV by looking’, the importance of condom use, and how to plan for tomorrow when considering what to do today.
It is very important for today’s young people to learn how to make wise and informed decisions about their health and wellbeing – especially when it pertains to sexuality and reproductive health. It is also important for young people to take responsibility for their decisions and to appreciate that the decisions they make today will have a profound effect on the rest of their lives.
VIII. EMOTIONAL FOCUS AND TONE
The main emotional focus will be on building self-esteem and confidence and being comfortable with one’s sexuality and gender sensitive. The tone of the show will be that of a friend or peer. The radio magazine program will be, frank, open, hip, quick, sharp, no nonsense, trendsetting, friendly, vibrant, supportive, curious, participatory, non judgmental, informative and entertaining.
IX. NUMBER OF EPISODES AND DURATION
The radio magazine program will have 42 episodes. The duration of each episode will be 30 minutes. Each episode will be broadcast once a week on FM Radio and in school mini media.
X. EPISODE STRUCTURE
The program will adhere to the following structure every episode. Within the structured items, producers are invited to be creative.
|Intro | :45 |
|Opening | 2:00 |
|Vox pop: public opinions on the issue of the day | 1:30 |
|Linking |1:00 |
|Reality:The situation and what youth can do about it through interview, diary, etc |8:00 |
|Linking |1:00 |
|Music | 2:00 |
|Linking |1:00 |
|News (of the day) | 1:00 |
|Expert Interview | 3:00 |
|Music | 2:00 |
|Linking | 1:00 |
|‘Youth Corner’ information from schools, letters, poems, and feedback | 2:00 |
|Quiz |1:00 |
|Summary | 3:00 |
|Outro/Trailers |:45 |
XI. PRODUCTION PROCESS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TEAMS
Based on feedback and discussions, the production process for one episode will be the following.
| |A |B |C |
| |Process |Time Allocated |Primary Responsibility |
| |Review design document and any other related material | | |
| |Production planning meeting: brainstorm on topic, radiant mapping, |Day 1 |Production and Program teams |
| |develop questions for vox pop and interviews linking back to design | | |
| |document | | |
| |Write up notes and send to reviewers |Day 2 |Production team |
| |Reviewers send feedback on production planning notes |Day 3 |Reviewers |
| |Incorporate feedback from reviewers |Day 4 |Production team |
| |Produce the show |Day 10 |Production team |
| |Review the questions | |Program team |
| |Review | | |
| |Production Review: transcribe the show and review by the Production team |Day 11 |Production team |
| |Type the Amharic version |Day 12 |Typist |
| |Transcribe and translate into English version |Day 14 |Transcriber/translator |
| |Review English version |Day 16 |Afeefa |
| |Send out Amharic audio version for review to Sofnias and DAGU program |Day 12 |Production team |
| |team | | |
| |Review episode with Sofnias, Afeefa and DAGU program and production team |Day 17 |Every one |
| |and develop program revision checklist | | |
| |Comments incorporated and episode finalized |Day 20 |Production team |
| |Final review of audio version using checklist |Day 21 |Program team |
The following tables outline the members of the production, program, and script review teams.
Production Team
|Who |Where |Contact info |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Program Team:
|Who |Where |Contact info |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Script Review team:
|Who |Where |Contact info |
|Fasil Gebreyohannes |CCP/ARC |fasilg@ |
|Henok Mekonnen |CCP/ARC |henokm@ |
|Solomon Yohannes |CCP/ARC |solomony@ |
|Eden Geremew |CCP/ARC |edeng@ |
|Sofnias Nega |CCP/ARC |sofniasn@ |
XII. SPECIFIC EPISODE AND MESSAGE CONTENT
Message Scope and Sequence
The series is divided into six key categories: relationships, sexuality, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS, gender, life skills, and teen culture. Episodes are assigned a category so that producers can keep a balance on the different issues covered in the program.
Producers/hosts should include in each of the programs the specific message content and tiny little steps exactly as indicated in these pages. Particular attention should be paid to the purpose and objectives for each program; producers should create programs accordingly.
DAGU Addis Phase IV Episode Topics and Broadcast Line-up
| |Topic |Theme |Responsible Producer |Air date |
|1. |Dagu Summer: How I spent my summer |Teen Culture |Henock |Sept 1, 2012 |
|2. |Dagu New Year Resolutions |Life Skills |Eden |Sept 8, 2012 |
|3. |Memhiruna Temariw (The Teacher and The Student): Sexual harassment |RH and HIV |Fasil |Sept 15, 2012 |
|4. |Personal Responsibility/Accountability No Excuses: Get over it!/It's You! |Life Skills |Solomon |Sept 22, 2012 |
|5. |Guzo Kebet wede Timihirt Bet (journey from home to school) |Teen Culture |Henock |Sept 29, 2012 |
|6. |Setting Boundaries and Limits between Friends |Relationship |Eden |Oct 6, 2012 |
|7. |Understanding the Changes During Adolescence: Adorable to Impossible |Parent-Child Communication |Fasil |Oct 13, 2012 |
|8. |My Body My Temple: What Are the Things I do to Keep My Body Healthy? |RH and HIV |Solomon |Oct 20, 2012 |
|9. |Yebudin Tseb (Group fights) |Teen Culture |Henock |Oct 27, 2012 |
|10. |Social media and Appropriate Use of the Internet: What's Too Much? |Teen Culture |Eden |Nov 3, 2012 |
|11. |Virginity: What is it good for? Why do I want to save it? Is it a guarantee to save a |RH and HIV |Fasil |Nov 10, 2012 |
| |relationship? | | | |
|12. |My Own Little Room |Teen Culture |Solomon |Nov 17, 2012 |
|13. |Review Episode | |Henock |Nov 24, 2012 |
|14. |World AIDS Day 2013 |RH and HIV |Fasil |Dec 1, 2012 |
|15. |My Culture and My Identity: What do I value the most? |Teen Culture |Eden |Dec 8, 2012 |
|16. |Think BIG: Anticipating the Future, My Dreams |Life Skills |Solomon |Dec 15, 2012 |
|17. |Atqefil (Stop Begging): Go Out and Try. Do something! |Life Skills |Henock |Dec 22, 2012 |
|18. |Beyond Day Parties |Teen Culture |Eden |Dec 29, 2012 |
|19. |Self Awareness: Who am I? How Do Others See Me? |Life Skills |Fasil |Jan 2, 2013 |
|20. |First Sex and Its Emotions |RH and HIV |Solomon |Jan 12, 2013 |
|21. |Chewanet Mindin New? (What is a Good girl/boy?): Living for and Meeting the Expectations of Others|Life Skills |Henok |Jan 19, 2013 |
|22. | Ikuyashin Feligi! Ikuyahin Felig! (Cross generational sex) |RH and HIV |Eden |Jan 26, 2013 |
|23. |Abstinence and Its Challenges |RH and HIV |Fasil |Feb 2, 2013 |
|24. |Multiple Concurrent Partnerships |RH and HIV |Solomon |Feb 9, 2013 |
| | | | |(Valentines Day) |
|25. |Romantic Relationships in High School: What I did for Love |Relationships |Henok |Feb 16, 2013 |
|26. |Gambling With Your Life |Life Skills |Eden |Feb 23, 2013 |
|27. |Healthy Ways of Getting Income |RH and HIV |Fasil |Mar 02, 2013 |
|28. |What Do I Believe In? My Principles, My Values |Life Skills |Solomon |Mar 09, 2013 |
|29. |The Only Way Out is To Search Within! The Answer is In Me |Life Skills |Henok |Mar 16, 2013 |
|30. |Gossip |Teen Culture |Eden |Mar 23, 2013 |
|31. |Fatherhood and Teen Dads |Gender |Fasil |Mar 30, 2013 |
|32. |Disability and Romantic Relationships |RH and HIV |Solomon |Apr 06, 2013 |
|33. |Isir: Young People in Prison |Teen Culture |Henock |Apr 13, 2013 |
|34. |Genzeb ke halafinet meshesha weyis (What money can't fix!) |Parent-Child Communication |Eden |Apr 20, 2013 |
|35. |What Parents KNOW, But Don't SAY About Sex |RH and HIV |Fasil |Apr 27, 2013 |
|36. |First Sex and Its Emotions |RH and HIV |Solomon |May 04, 2013 |
|37. |Rasin Mewded (Loving Oneself) |Life Skills |Henock |May 11, 2013 |
|38. |Popularity: What Is Your Style? How Do You Want To Express Your Personality? What Type of |Teen Culture |Eden |May 18, 2013 |
| |Reputation Do You Want? | | | |
|39. |Go Ask Your Parents!: Communication about Sexual Issues and Family Planning With Your Parents |RH and HIV |Fasil |May 25, 2013 |
|40. |Shifinfin (Things Done in Secret): Anal and Oral Sex, MSM, etc? |RH and HIV |Solomon |Jun 01, 2013 |
|41. |Higewett Guzo/Sidet (In search of a Better Life): Illegal Migration |Teen Culture |Henock |Jun 08, 2013 |
|42. |When Enjoyable Things Become Unpleasant: The Turning point |Teen Culture |Eden |Jun 22, 2013 |
|43. |Timihirt Maquaret (Quitting and Giving up) |Life Skills |Fasil |Jun 29, 2013 |
|44. |Tesfa Mequrett (Hopelessness) |Life Skills |Henock |Jul 06, 2013 |
|45. |Ye Alama Tsinat (Determination) |Life Skills |Eden |Jul 13, 2013 |
|46. |Igna Teleyayiten Lijochachinis? (Divorce and Its Impact) |Parent-Child Communication |Fasil |Jul 20, 2013 |
|47. |Iyawequ Alequ (You Reap What You Sow) |Life Skills |Solomon |Jul 27, 2013 |
EPISODE 1: New Year Resolution
Theme: Values
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people that setting a goal make them reach to their vison
▪ To help young people better understand how to define their identity
EPISODE 2: Dagu Summer
Theme: Special Episode
PURPOSE:
• To help the audience relate with Dagu producers
• To let them understand how Dagu team plan and prepare the episodes
• Giving the chance for the Dagu Interns to expose themselves to the media
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
• How Dagu is produced
Do:
Feel:
Episode 3: Personal Responsibility, No Excuses!
Theme: Life skills
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• That they have their lives in their own grips
• That excuses cannot be solutions to their problems and failures
DO:
• Stop making excuses for their faults
• Discharging their responsibilities carefully
FEEL:
• That they should never have made excuses in their lives
• Proud to knowing they can solve their problems by themselves
• Motivated to do their best in every aspect of their lives
PURPOSE:
• To increase their faith in their abilities of challenging life problems
• To motive young people to take action rather than making excuse
• To demonstrate the possible ways of discharging one’s responsibilities
______________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
• Because young people make excuses for their own faults
• Young people make excuses because they don’t have faith in their abilities
• Because their community doesn't tell them that they are responsible to their own action
______________________________________________________________________
CONTENT
• What’s personal responsibilities?
• Why do we make excuses?
• Importance of being responsible for one’s own actions
• How to develop confidence in being accountable to one’s own actions
Benefits
• Respect from others for being able to carry out one’s tasks
• Confidence in one’s authority over one’s own self
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Say ‘I am responsible’ for the things you do today.
Episode 4: Teacher-student sexual relationship
Theme: HIV
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• There is unhealthy and unethical sexual relationship between teachers and young underage students.
DO:
• Female Students: They have to work hard to get good grades and say no to teachers’ sexual requests.
• Teachers: Be responsible and stop unethical and illegal sexual affairs
• School management: Create awareness and take necessary administrative measures against offenders.
FEEL:
• Feeling of empowerment (I don’t do that; I will stand up for my rights and others), feeling bad, “what if it happens to me, my daughter, my sister”
PURPOSE:
• To create awareness about the ever increasing teacher student sexual relationship and its consequences; to call upon stakeholder to fight against this unjust sexual relationship.
_________________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
• It is a crime to have sex with underage youth as stated in the constitution.
• Though not well researched, we observe that this unethical sexual affair is increasing at an alarming rate.
• Because of the power imbalance, female students have no right on condom negotiation that eventually has life threatening consequences including unwanted pregnancy.
• This illegal act discourages industriousness and it disregards respect at an early stage.
_______________________________________________________________________
CONTENT
• Why do girls have sex with teachers?
• What are consequences of having sex with teachers at an early stage of their lives? (in their physical, psychological, educational life)
• What do students do when they face such kind of problems?
• Who do student go to share their secrets and how does it help?
• Who is responsible (school authorities and their ethical guideline, parent, community, media, government)
• Why do teachers have sex with their students? (The teachers' perspective/side)
Episode 5: Setting Boundaries and Limits with Friends
Theme: Value, Life skill
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• Not to be easily led by other people (i.e. peer pressure)
• Your friends are not always perfect
• How to respect others, but set your own priorities
DO:
• Become a decision-maker despite your friends’ opinions
FEEL:
• Confident to make your own decision and stand by it
PURPOSE:
• To discourage peer pressure
• To encourage setting personal goals and principles
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many youth rely highly on their peers for their personal goals, entertainment, opinions, etc. They are exposed to HIV/AIDS, addiction, and STI’s by their peers. This is caused by a lack of communication with parents, and lack of strong role models from the home.
CONTENT:
Some youth admire their friends so much that they cannot make a decision for themselves.
Causes:
• Popularity levels in the school determine which friends make decisions
• Fear of being discriminated or considered boring among peers
Consequences:
• Adapt new behaviors because they are always seeking approval from others
• Lose self-confidence and self-esteem
• Do not properly develop identity
• Communication gap between family members
• Do not know how to become a leader later in life
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Ask yourself what are your priorities? Do they match with your good friends?
• What is the worst that can happen to you if your peers discriminate you? How will it affect you or your future?
Episode 6: A Walk from Home to School
Theme: Teen Culture
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• That lots of things happen on their way to school
• How to respond to teasing and harassment
• How their kids spend their day (parents)
DO:
• Go to school
• Try to deal with harassment accordingly
• Develop good relationship with the school (parents)
•
FEEL:
• Girls should feel confident when they encounter teasing or harassment
• Teens should fear the effects of cutting class/school; those who do this should feel ashamed
PURPOSE:
Primary audience:
• To create awareness on the possible things that could happen on their way to and from school
• To let teenagers prioritize their education
Secondary audience:
• To let parents continuously follow up their kids
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Because:
• Many teens go to different places instead of school
• Many teens discontinue their education b/c of their repeated absence from school
• Most parents don’t follow up their kids
• There is real danger on their way school
________________________________________________________________________
CONTENT
Students encounter different things on their way to school. They might not even go to school i.e. they might ditch school; even if they go to school they might ditch classes and spend their time in the school compound or elsewhere.
On their way to school they may encounter physical or verbal abuses. Parents need to know their kids' whereabouts and at what time. They should develop good communication with the school and teachers.
The smartest way of dealing with harassment would be to act accordingly- that means to laugh it off and move on, to be quiet and patient or be assertive according to the mood of the situation.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• If you come across harassment on the road, laugh it off, keep quiet/keep it cool, or be patient, according to the mood of the situation
• Consider the pros and cons of ditching classes and schools
• ask yourself why you are ditching
• Parents should start talking to teachers and school principals about their children
Episode 7: My Body my Temple
Theme: Teen culture
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• The essence of taking care of their body
• How their physical appearance could influence their social lives
• How balanced diet could be contextualized to the resources they have at hand
DO
• Keep their bodies clean by giving time to personal hygiene
• Balance their diet with the available resources
FEEL
• Responsibility to their own body
• Initiated to protect and keep clean their bodies
• Proud to have healthy and good appearance
PURPOSE:
• To increase the value they have about their body
• To show the health problems resulted from giving time for personal hygiene
• To demonstrate the possible ways of balancing their diet in relation to their physical appearance and hygiene
______________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
• Many young people are shown careless to their bodies because they don’t give time to their personal hygiene
• They don’t think it’s of any value
• They don’t have the understanding of how important it is
CONTENT
• What is personal hygiene
• How do we take care of our own bodies
• How do we balance our diet easily without extra expenses
• Simple body exercise
• Taking care of oneself is taking care of others (respecting others)
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Watch and wash your body today
Episode 8: Group Fight
Theme: Teen Culture
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• How to think before every action
• How to respect other people
• Resolve differences peacefully
• Our actions in group fight can hurt people physically and psychologically!
DO:
• Stop group fighting
• Stop taking unnecessary risks
• Refuse to peer pressure
FEEL:
• Conscious about their decisions
• That they might be at risk
• Responsible
PURPOSE:
• To encourage youth to think before taking any action at all
• To make youth aware of the risks of group fighting and related behaviors
• To educate the youth on how to spend their time and energy!
_________________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many youths involve in group fights without careful thinking about their actions. They rush into making decisions because of peer pressure. Due to this they cause a lot of problem, hurt others in the process, and most importantly themselves. They also lack role models or someone to get advice from.
________________________________________________________________________
CONTENT:
Causes:
• Failing in school/grades
• Search of popularity
• Divorce of parents
• Poor communication in their family
• Peer pressure
• Fight because of girls
• Proving themselves
• Misconception of boyhood/youth
Consequences:
• Crime
• Dropping out of school
• Physical and psychological harms
• Migration
• Losing hope of the future and endeavor in school
• Damage materials/vandalism
• Being lawbreakers
• Identity crisis
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Look into the pros and cons of each of your decision
• Talk to someone older that you can trust
Episode 9: Understanding Adolescent Years
Theme: Parent-child Communication
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
Parents
• Understanding the adolescent years
• Understanding the natural (hormonal) process
Children
• Intentions of parents are good
• How parents are intimidated by their children’s actions
DO:
Parents:
• Accept the change and act accordingly
• When giving advice add their own personal experiences
• Giving reasons for their command
• Being patient
• Recognizing physical changes
Children:
• Asking themselves “why am I really doing this?”
• Being patient
FEEL:
Parents:
• Pride in children’s growth
• Comfortable with the relationship with their children
Children
• Comfortable with the relationship with their parents
• Being understood
PURPOSE:
Understanding between parents and children
• A healthy relationship
• Protecting each other’s feelings
• Preserving the relationship for the future
________________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
• Lack of understanding most of the time of the adolescent stage on both sides
• Why?
• Difference of opinion
• Children’s inability to understand that their parents' advice are for their good but perceive it as parents conspiring against them
• Parents seeing these changes as lack of respect for them
CONTENT
• Benefits
• A healthy and long-lasting family relationship
• Understanding each other’s needs
• Helping parents to solve their children’s problems
• Consequences
• Quarrelling
• Misunderstanding
• Negative psychological effect
• Exposure to different health related issues
• Decision making difficulties
• Feeling insecure and hopeless
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Discussing their friends' problems with their parents and judging their reaction to it
• Putting themselves in that position (children)
Episode 10: Social Media and Appropriate Use of Internet
Theme: Teen culture, Life skill
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• How to appropriately use technology
• How to use technology for better purposes like education and information-sharing
DO:
• Use social media and internet as a means of reaching their goals in addition to socializing
•
FEEL:
• Responsible and confident (in presenting oneself via social media) in using internet
PURPOSE:
• To show how social media can be used for personal achievement (i.e. education and other interests)
• To show some risks of inappropriate use of internet (i.e. porn sites, gossip and rumors, computer viruses, meeting strangers)
_________________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Youth spend too much time on social media and the internet these days, and not benefiting or learning from it. Because their time is wasted on the internet, many youths are distracted from education.
________________________________________________________________________
CONTENT:
Causes:
• Many young people are using the internet, so it is fun to do
• Young people feel famous and confident when others see them on social media
• Youth are looking for exposure to new and different ideas (i.e. sex, religion, politics)
• Because there is no communication in the home, young people may feel bored and needing to chat with friends
Consequences:
• Using fake identities on the web, and trying to live by this fake identity
• Quick to adapt to unbalanced, new ideas without considering consequences
• Easy to promote sexual encounters (i.e. chat or phone sex)
• Disconnection from home, school, and culture/community
• Addiction to internet and social media
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Manage time spent on Face book and other social media
• Limit friends on social media
• Do not add or accept social media requests from strangers
• Ask yourself why are you using Face book (or any other social media)?
Episode 11: My own little room
Theme: Teen culture/ parental control
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• What their kids are really doing in their room
• Why the children need their own room
DO
• Follow up what the kids are doing with the room
• They should be able to take an assertive stand on how the room is used
• They should use the privacy for the right reasons (youths)
FEEL:
• Both parties should feel responsible
• The parents should be curious
PURPOSE:
Primary audience: (youth)
• To help them understand the right ways of utilizing their privacy
Secondary audience: (parents)
• To help them take action
• To show parents that giving too much privacy backfires
______________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Because:
• Children use their rooms for the wrong purposes like:
- Use drugs (smoke, chew chat, get drunk…)
- Watch pornography or other inappropriate things
• Parents don’t know what the kids are using the rooms for
• There is no communication between family members because of carelessness and too much privacy
_______________________________________________________________________
CONTENT
• Privacy is the state of being apart from other people and not being seen, heard, or disturbed by them
• To what extent should parents allow their children’s privacy?
• Of the many ways of isolation, children like the idea of a secluded room.
• What do you really do in your room?
• What do parents really know about “the little room”?
Consequences:
• Creates a communication gap between parents and children
• Ability to sneak out and bring people over
• Use drugs (smoke, chew chat, get drunk…)
• Watch pornography or other inappropriate things
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Ask yourself whether you use this room for the right purposes
• Do you really need this room? If yes, for what?
Episode 12: Virginity- What is it good for?
Theme: HIV
Objectives: By the end of the episode, listeners will:
KNOW:
• Keeping virginity helps virgins to protect themselves against HIV and STDs as well as unwanted pregnancy as a means of primary abstinence.
• Keeping virginity and having unsafe Anal and oral sex exposes girls to HIV and STDs.
DO:
• Keep virginity by using other ways of pleasures (kissing, phone sex, touching, scent)
• Stop having unsafe oral, anal sex and brush.
FEEL:
• Being confident and proud to be virgin.
PURPOSE:
• To protect girls from early sex, unsafe sex, HIV, unwanted pregnancy and STDs
• To respect their value of being virgin.
• To meet the expectation of family members.
_________________________________________________________________________
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
According to the DHS,
• In a youth study 15-24 in 10 A.A high schools, 5.4 youth reported ever having oral sex. The mean age of initiation of oral sex was 14.6 years (Cherie, 2012).
• The same study says 4.3% of high school students have anal sex. The mean age of initiation is 14.8.
• 51.1% had more than one anal sex partner, only 26.1% used a condom every time they engage in anal sex
• the survey indicates the main reasons for practicing oral and anal sex were preventing pregnancy(96% and 92% respectively) and virginity (86%) and reducing STI (80.4; 83%)
________________________________________________________________________
CONTENT
• What are the benefits of keeping virginity?
- Respect to one’s value
- Protecting one’s self from HIV/STD/unwanted pregnancy, fistula, early sex
• Virginity and confidence (not to be called FARA)
• Misconception of keeping virginity and its risks to health.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• To feel proud of being virgin
• Delaying sex
• Experiencing other ways
• Not using anal and oral sex (unsafe safe)
• Maximizing singleness or delaying sex
• Overcoming peer pressure
EPISODE 15: MY CULTURE, MY IDENTITY
Theme: Values
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people that knowing about one’s culture is forward thinking and modern
▪ To help young people better understand how to define their identity
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The definition of culture and identity
▪ How to appreciate and respect their own culture
▪ How culture helps form one’s identity
▪ Not knowing about your culture takes away from your identity and self-awareness
▪ Culture is what you make it and it changes with time
Do:
▪ Ask questions, read and learn about their culture and history
▪ Experience their traditions in a way that is comfortable for them (i.e. wear cultural clothing, listen to music, watch Ethiopian films, live by traditional values they want to embrace, etc.)
▪ Celebrate Culture Day and other religious/cultural holidays, with cultural greetings, customs, food, etc.
▪ Visit museums, art galleries, and historical sites as a means of entertainment
▪ Be open to learning about and appreciating other Ethiopian cultures
▪ Think about what elements of their culture they want to retain and/or do away with
Feel:
▪ Confident about how they want to practice their cultural traditions and customs
▪ Respect, appreciation and pride for their culture
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Young people these days are not fully aware of their culture. Many young people feel that in order to become modern and culturally and technology advanced, they must disregard their own culture. As a result, many of them forgo their own culture for non-Ethiopian cultures. They focus on exposing themselves to the customs, fashion, media, beliefs from foreign cultures. Many do not learn about Ethiopian culture and tradition and a lack of understanding about the richness of their own culture causes them to consider it as backwards.
CONTENT
▪ Culture is a “set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual, and emotional features of society or a social group. In addition to art and literature, it encompasses lifestyles, basic human rights, value systems, traditions, and beliefs”[6] that is always changing and reforming itself.
▪ We are all born into cultures that uphold certain beliefs and values. In order to figure out our identity, we can review these beliefs and values and decide for ourselves what we want to believe or value.
Your culture is:
▪ A resource
▪ Makes you unique
▪ Knowing where you came from increases your confidence to face what is ahead of you.
▪ Understanding your culture helps you form your identity.
Learn more about your culture by:
▪ Reading about and researching your culture in history books, on the internet, in journals and from your elders.
▪ Talking to elders and others about your culture/history will also help you understand how it has changed over time.
▪ Attend events showcasing your culture and other Ethiopian cultures. This helps you to understand not only your specific culture, but also other Ethiopian cultures.
▪ Every generation leaves their mark on a society’s culture. Decide what mark you want to leave.
▪ Think of ways that modernize but also celebrate different elements of your culture.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Find out 10 new things about your culture that you did not know.
2. Have a discussion with your elders every week or month about different elements of your culture
3. Discuss with your friends what you would like to promote and what you would like to change about your culture
EPISODE 16: THINK BIG! – ANTICIPATING THE FUTURE: WHAT ARE MY DREAMS?[7]
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To encourage young people to live their lives for a purpose instead of just existing in the present
▪ To help young people explore their potential
▪ To encourage young people to develop a vision for their future and the goals to achieve that vision
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ How important it is to think big
▪ How to discover their potential and capabilities
▪ How to identify their dreams and develop goals that will lead to achieving their dreams
Do:
▪ Explore and identify things they are good at
▪ Set goals for their future
▪ Develop a sense of achievement and pride in what they have accomplished
▪ Identify role models in their lives
Feel:
▪ Confident in their potential and their ability to improve themselves
▪ Motivated to think big when it comes to their goals and dreams
▪ Inspired to think ‘outside the box’ to achieve their goals
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people believe in living only for today because many of them do not have a vision for their future. Their families, communities, and societies do not encourage them to set goals because living without goals is considered as normal.
CONTENT
What is thinking big?
▪ Thinking big means getting rid of barriers and embracing the many possibilities open to you to achieve what you want
▪ To think big means to find inspiration and answers from thinking ‘outside the box’ or outside our normal comfort zones
▪ It also refers to understanding who you are and who you want to be by examining your past, exploring your present, and planning your future.
How do I start thinking big?
▪ Believe in yourself and that you can make a change
▪ Change comes slowly but it will only happen if you do something!
Exploring my potential
▪ Identify things that I am good at
▪ Identify my strengths and weaknesses
▪ Be realistic about my limitations and what I can handle
Who is my role model?
▪ We can have different role models in our lives for different things. A role model is a person who we believe holds characteristics we admire or who has achieved something that we would like to achieve.
▪ It is important to talk with our role models about how they achieved their dreams. Knowing what they did can help us figure out the path to our dreams and goals.
Consequences of not thinking big
▪ Economic dependence on our families
▪ Living for nothing
▪ Carelessness with our health, our safety, and our values
▪ Failure to take on life and make something of ourselves
Benefits
▪ Economic independence and self respect
▪ Respect of our parents, our families, our peers and our communities
▪ Increased self value, self discipline, and confidence
▪ Success in reaching our goals
▪ Confidence and knowledge that we can make a change in our lives if we want to
▪ A fulfilling life
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Compile a list of things that you think you can do well.
2. Ask your parents, family, peers and teachers to contribute to the list you are making.
3. Write down a vision of where you want to be in two years. THINK BIG.
4. Develop a plan to achieve your two-year vision.
5. Complete one of your goals every month.
EPISODE 17: ATQEFIL (Stop Begging!)
Theme: Teen culture, Life skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To show the benefits of avoiding qifela (begging)
▪ To demonstrate the consequences of qifela
▪ To empower young people to earn money on their own merit
▪ To empower young people to have respect for themselves in order to respect others
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Meqefel (begging) is a disgraceful and humiliating act and it degrades and demeans us!
▪ Why they should not beg
▪ How they can utilize their time productively
Do:
▪ Keep oneself busy and avoid becoming lazy, idle, eventually broke which can lead to begging
▪ Respect and take oneself seriously (I am able and I will never engage in such activity)
▪ Do what you do seriously and with intent for success and result
▪ Hang with people who don’t beg
Feel:
▪ Discouraged from begging
▪ Strong determination to never beg
▪ Responsible to do something productive with one’s time
▪ Embarrassed and regretful if they have ever begged
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people spend a lot of time making ‘easy money’ by chasing and begging people for money. However, young people do not benefit or learn from this. Rather, they often end up wasting away their time and energy on alcohol, drugs and meaningless activity.
CONTENT:
What is meqefel?
▪ Many young people are engaged in qifela (begging) without any embarrassment or shame. To them, begging is a sport or something fun to do.
▪ Boys who beg use the money to take out girls, have parties, or buy sex from commercial sex workers.
▪ People give money to them to get admiration- and to have acceptance over their neighborhood
What are the causes of meqefel?
▪ Some young people don’t want to do anything at all because they want to get money by begging and are too lazy to come up with other ways of securing income.
▪ They are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol and care only about getting money quickly to get more of these substances.
▪ They have low self-esteem, which leads them to care less and less about themselves or their reputation.
▪ They misunderstand aradinet
What are the consequences or impact of meqefel?
▪ As young people obtain money from begging, they will be completely dependent on begging and stop taking care of themselves.
▪ Since they end up begging, they stop studying, drop out of school and chose to be qefay.
▪ Without enough education or skills, it is very difficult for them to make their goals and dreams come true.
▪ They lose their friends' and families' trust and respect. Even if they come up with good ideas, people will think that this is another one of their begging schemes and will not help them.
▪ Begging can land you in trouble with the police and into fights with street kids.
How do you avoid meqefel?
▪ Begging is not a sport. It is often the last resort for some people to survive. It is not a joke to use to scam people out of money.
▪ Own your own rewards through productive work, ingenuity, and being smart in school. People will respect and trust you for it.
▪ People often become like those they spend time with. Avoid and do not hang out with young people who beg.
▪ There are people in your community who came from nothing but worked hard and accomplished something really great. Find out what they did.
▪ If you want something to happen in your life, you have to make it happen! Make sure that whatever you do, your future self will thank and admire you for it.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Do not give money to those who beg (ateqefelu)
2. Talk with your friends about the perils of begging
3. Figure out interesting and creative ways to make money that are legal and productive and invite your friends and family to help you develop one of them
EPISODE 18: BEYOND DAY PARTIES
Theme: Teen Culture
PURPOSE:
▪ To encourage young people to critically analyze day parties
▪ To help young people better understand the risks they face by attending day parties
▪ To empower young people to set limits of how they will behave at day parties
▪ To encourage parents and teachers to discuss setting limits of behavior with young people
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ What day parties are
▪ What happens at day parties
▪ Why young people attend day parties
▪ The risks involved with attending day parties
▪ How to set limits for themselves that will help them avoid risky situations at day parties
Do:
▪ Set limits for what they will do at day parties
▪ Stick to the limits they have set for themselves
▪ Encourage their friends to set limits for themselves
▪ Discuss with their friends alternative ways of having fun
▪ Look for alternative ways of generating money
Feel:
▪ Informed about the reality of what happens at day parties
▪ Wary of the risks associated with attending day parties
▪ Empowered to set limits and stick to them
▪ That attending day parties is not the ultimate way to have fun
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Young people in Addis often attend day parties as a way to have fun. Day parties are parties that are held during the day before young people’s curfew. At these parties, young people are exposed to excessive drinking and unsafe attitudes and behaviors regarding sex. For example, these parties cultivate an atmosphere that encourages being out of control in order to have the most fun. Young people are also often sexually harassed or sexually harass others due to this sense of unrestrained interaction. Many young people, their parents, and their teachers aren’t really informed about what happens at these day parties.
CONTENT
What are day parties?
▪ Day parties are held for various reasons, the most popular being:
o Raising money for graduation. Most of the time students are not allowed to do this in their own school, so they host parties during the day in clubs and other places. This increases the chance for students from other schools, out of school youth, and older people to crash these parties. Outsiders add to the feeling of unrestrained and out of control parties.
o Young people attend day parties because they see it as an opportunity to have fun with their friends before their curfew.
o Day parties are also seen as ways to access unlimited alcohol, music and dancing.
What really happens at day parties?
▪ Excessive drinking
▪ Chewing chat
▪ Dancing
▪ Sexual activity
▪ The club owners don’t care about what’s happening as long as they’re getting money
Risks involved with attending day parties
▪ Limitless use of drugs, alcohol
▪ Sexual harassment
▪ Unsafe sex
▪ Getting infected with HIV because of unsafe sex and other behaviors
▪ Peer pressure to partake in the above activities
Setting limits will help you avoid risky situations at day parties
▪ Losing control of yourself in a place that has the potential to get out of control is irresponsible and can be harmful to your health.
▪ If you drink, set limits on how many drinks you will have. This helps you avoid risky situations at day parties.
▪ If you don’t know and set your limit for how much you will drink, you increase your chances of having unsafe sex or fighting under the influence of alcohol.
▪ Decide ahead of time how much you will drink and stick to your limits.
▪ If you continuously stick to your limits, your parents will trust you more and will have more faith in your ability to avoid harmful and risky situations when you are out with your friends.
▪ Ignore people who test your limits by calling you names or accusing you of not being ‘fun’
▪ Always have an exit plan if the situation at the day party gets out of hand.
▪ Establish boundaries with your physical space.
▪ Be wary of people trying to push you into things or touching you in a forward way.
▪ If you go to day parties, make sure you go in groups. Agree with your friends ahead of time when you will leave and agree to watch over each other no matter what.
Helping friends knowing their limits
▪ If you see friends harassing others to drink more or to participate in sexual activity with them, encourage your friends to stop harassing others and to be more concerned about their own behavior.
▪ If your friend is harassing someone who is not interested in them encourage him/her to go find someone else who is.
▪ Encourage your friends to remember the limits they set for themselves.
Avoid day parties
▪ Find something cooler, safer and less stressful to do!
▪ Develop activities that are fun and energetic and exciting.
▪ Organize productive activities to meet other young people and raise money such as fun games, city/community wide scavenger hunts, and competitions.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Improve your awareness about day parties and the reasons why they are held.
2. Establish a limit on how many drinks you will have, what you drink, and the time you spend at a day party. Otherwise, don’t drink at all at day parties.
3. If you go to day parties, make a promise to yourself to only attend in groups.
4. Always be observant of your surroundings.
5. Try to come up with a list of healthier ways of generating money for you and your friends.
EPISODE 19: SELF AWARENESS – WHO AM I? HOW DO OTHERS SEE ME?
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To encourage young people to be more aware about their character, feelings, motives, desires and life goals; and
▪ To help young people examine and continuously analyze their weaknesses and strengths
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ What it means to be aware of oneself
▪ What they want to achieve during their lives
▪ What are their weaknesses and their strengths
▪ How important it is to determine their purpose in life
▪ That our actions determines who we are and how other people see us
▪ Importance of decision making
Do:
▪ Ask and answer for themselves what their purpose in life is
▪ Identify their strengths and weaknesses about their character and personality
▪ Assess how other people perceive them
Feel:
▪ Self aware
▪ Increased self respect and self esteem
▪ Confidence about their strengths
▪ Motivated to work on their weaknesses
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people don’t really think about their purpose in life, who they are, what they want to be in life, and what their dreams are. They don’t spend enough time trying to examine these issues for themselves. Also, schools don’t set aside time in their curriculum to help young people conduct activities that help them build their character and determine these things.
CONTENT
What is self awareness?
▪ Being aware of and understanding your character, personality, feelings, motives, desires, beliefs and life goals
▪ Being aware of who you are and who you want to be
What are the benefits of being self aware?
▪ Confidence and belief in yourself
▪ Being able to continuously examine your strengths and weaknesses
▪ Being able to make good decisions for yourself and taking responsibility for those decisions
▪ Helps you identify your values and believes and know what motivates you
▪ Knowing your purpose and goals in life
What are the consequences of not being self-aware?
▪ Doubting oneself
▪ Living one’s life without purpose
▪ Always having other people make decisions for you
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. List out your three main strengths
2. Ask your family and your trusted friends and teachers to list out three of your strengths
3. Keep a diary where you record five things:
▪ What motivates you
▪ What you like or dislike
▪ What you value the most
▪ Your strengths and weaknesses and how you want to improve yourself
▪ Your life goals
EPISODE 20: FIRST SEX AND ITS EMOTIONS
Theme: Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To help young people analyze their decision to have sex
▪ To emphasize that it is important to be ready to have sex before they have their first sex
▪ To help young people explore the emotions that a person may have if they are not ready to have sex
▪ To highlight the consequences of having sex before a person is ready
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ What it means to be ready to have sex
▪ The importance of being ready before one has the sex for the first time
▪ The consequence of having sex before one is ready
▪ A few of the emotions a person may have after his/her first sex when they aren’t ready
Do:
▪ Decide to make sure they don’t have sex before they are ready
▪ Delay having sex until they are ready
Feel:
▪ Confident that they can make the right decision for themselves for when to first have sex
▪ Happy with their decision to wait until they are ready
▪ Confident that their first time will be more fulfilling since they waited
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Deciding to have sex is an important decision that requires time and care. Many young people are not ready to have sex due to lack of information about their own bodies, about their potential partner and about the consequences of having sex. For example, some young people incorrectly believe that the risk of HIV and STIs doesn’t exist when they have sex for the first time. These and other misconceptions do in fact put young people at risk of STIs, unplanned pregnancies and unhealthy first sex experiences.
CONTENT
▪ Having sex is a big deal
▪ Deciding to have sex is an important decision that you should take time to think about
▪ Examine and understand the reasons why you want to have sex
▪ Never ever have sex if you do not want to or if you are not ready to have sex
What does it mean to be ready to have sex?
▪ Being totally comfortable with the person you want to have sex with
▪ Being able to communicate what you want and don’t want to your partner
▪ Having accurate information about human anatomy and reproductive health
▪ Being totally aware and knowledgeable about the consequences of having sex
▪ Understanding that having sex is a huge responsibility
▪ Being emotionally ready to bear the responsibility of the consequences of having sex
▪ Being aware and honest with yourself about your motives for wanting to have sex
What are the consequences of having sex before I’m ready?
▪ Feeling regretful and apprehension about your decision
▪ Feeling embarrassed for not having accurate information
▪ Criticizing oneself for not making the experience better by waiting to have sex after one is ready
▪ Increased risk of HIV and STIs
▪ Increased risk of unintended pregnancies
What are the benefits of waiting till I’m ready to have sex?
▪ Satisfaction in knowing you’ve made an informed decision
▪ No regret and apprehension about your decision to wait
▪ You won’t criticize yourself for doing something you weren’t ready to do
▪ You’ll be proud of yourself for having learned accurate information about your own body and reproductive health
▪ You’ll have decreased your risk of HIV, STIs, and unintended pregnancy
▪ You’ll feel more confident in yourself for making your own decisions and sticking to these decisions
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Figure out for yourself how you would like your first time to be
2. Research a reproductive health topic every week and master your understanding of it
Episode 21: Chewanet Mindin New? (What is a Good Girl/Boy?): Should I Be Living Others and Meeting Their Expectations?
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
To show that a young person should develop his/her own set of morals, values and beliefs and be responsible for their actions based on these ideals.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ What it means to be chewa and who it benefits
▪ The challenges of being chewa
▪ The manifestations of chewanet
▪ How to identify real chewanet and undercover chewa
▪ The consequences of being undercover chewa (health, dream)
▪ How families define chewanet
Do:
▪ Identify their own morals and values and act according to them (not other people’s)
▪ Make their own decisions about whether they want to have sex or not
▪ Abstain from sex by using other ways of exchanging pleasure (kissing, phone sex, touching, caressing, smelling TERN)
▪ Stop having unsafe oral, anal, and vaginal sex
▪ Engage in safe sex with a condom every time one has sex
Feel:
▪ Confident in who they are and what they think is right or wrong
▪ That they are not alone and that many other people around them may have difficulties coping with society’s rules
▪ That set rules of chewanet may/may not be relevant or helpful for the development of one’s child
▪ That it is important to reevaluate the things we do in response to societal pressure
▪ Relief from the pressure by the society
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
▪ It affects all parts of the society
▪ Misconceptions of chewanet and its adverse effect on one’s life.
▪ In order to be seen/portrayed as chewa or being morally correct, young people abstain from vaginal sex but participate in risky behaviors (like anal or oral sex), thinking that this behavior is less risky
▪ In order to be accepted, young people live restricted lives and compromise their ability to explore and experience life as young people
▪ Young people often don’t have enough information on sexual reproductive health issues because if they ask about these issues, parents, family and society will label you as balege (badly behaved).
CONTENT
What is chewanet culturally?
▪ Chewanet is when a person feels like they have to do things or be a certain way so that their parents, family or society sees them as moral and righteous. A person who is chewanet often has two sets of behavior, one that they show their parents and family and another that they show to their friends and others. Often in trying to be ‘chewa,’ young people participate in behavior that they think will enable them to experience things but still retain the “moral high ground.” For example, a person who is chewa may not have vaginal sex in order to retain their virginity. However, under the idea that anal or oral sex will not affect their virginity, that same person may engage in anal or oral sex.
▪ Real chewanet and undercover chewanet
▪ Parents' view of chewanet
What are the challenges of being chewa?
▪ Often don’t have correct information to make your own informed decisions
▪ Often scared to act or make decisions and end up having parents make decisions for them
▪ Often don’t take responsibility for own actions
▪ There is a difference between a person’s true self and public self
▪ Trying to be chewa results in juggling multiple lives and lying about behavior to parents and family
▪ Often do things you don’t want to do
How are males chewanet? How are females chewanet?
How far should we go for others?
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. List your values. Ask yourself, “What do I think is important? Do I believe in what I’m doing for such and such person?”
2. Develop a way to analyze and question your decisions
3. Have an open discussion with your parents about chewanet
4. Analyze the risk in your sexual behavior. What you think is not risky, might in fact be risky.
Episode 22: Ikuyashin Feligi! Ikuyahin Felig! (Cross-generational sex)
Theme: Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To make young people understand how cross generational sex (CGS) negatively impacts their lives in general, and on young women in particular
▪ To provide young people with alternatives to engaging in CGS relationships
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Why young people engage in CGS.
▪ The harmful effects and costs of cross generational sex on young people and in particular young women
▪ Older men and well-to-do men are often at a higher risk for HIV than younger men
▪ Young men also enter into CGS relationships with older women
▪ Young people in CGS relationships are at high risk of HIV infection because they often can not negotiate condom use or refuse to have sex
Do:
▪ Examine their values about exchanging money for sex
▪ Stand up to peer pressure to compete with others in money and materials things
▪ Start working and earning and know what you can and can not afford
▪ Refuse to have unsafe sex (sex with out a condom)
▪ Avoid or discontinue cross generational sex relationships
Feel:
▪ Increased respect for oneself
▪ That one can succeed through their own efforts
▪ Increased sense of risk for HIV infection
▪ Remorse and embarrassed for engaging in CGS
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Within the 15-19 age group, HIV prevalence among females is greater than males because of early sexual activity among young women with older male partners. The MOH estimates that 76.9% of infected people in 15-19 age group are female and 23.1% are male (MOH 2006).
CONTENT
Why do young people engage in cross generational sex?
▪ For money to survive
▪ To acquire material things like phones, sim cards, clothes, etc.
▪ Attitudes that value material things over health, safety and reputation
How does peer pressure contribute to cross generational sex?
▪ Young people often feel pressure from their peers to compete on who has the best and trendiest material things
▪ Young people often feel pressure from their peers to join in on risky activities that they feel will ‘benefit’ them as a group
What are the consequences of CGS?
▪ Identity crises, worsening work habit and loss in confidence in oneself
▪ HIV and STI infection
▪ Unintended and unwanted pregnancy
▪ Continuous dependence on making money through sex
▪ Prostitution
▪ Being thrown out of the house/school
How does it happen? Who participates?
▪ A younger person provides sex and receives money
▪ An older man or woman receives sex and provides money or materials
▪ Pimps often connect the two people
▪ Older men are seen by younger women to be at lower risk of STIs because they are older, married and more well off. However, Data shows that older and well-to-do men are at higher risk of HIV and STI infection
▪ Young people (especially women) are often not able to avoid or negotiate condom use in these relationships because the older person pressures them into the relationship or into not using condoms
▪ Young people involved in these types of relationships should reassess their actions and ask themselves if the materials and money is worth their health, safety and lives
Do the kids know that the sugar daddy/mommy has a family? What is their reaction?
How can families help their kids avoid CGS?
▪ Teach their children how to spend money within their limits and teach them how to manage $$
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Make a list of all the negative impacts CGS can have on your life.
2. Challenge yourself and your friends to list healthy and more productive ways of making money
3. If an older man or woman approaches you, imagine your mother or father doing the same thing to another young person
4. Don’t accept gifts from older people you are not close to
5. Refuse to have sex with any person who wants to have sex without condoms
EPISODE 23: ABSITNENCE AND ITS CHALLENGES
Theme: Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To improve young people’s understanding of abstinence and its benefits
▪ To explore the challenges of remaining abstinent
▪ To show young people that there are other ways of expressing affection for someone that does not include sexual intercourse
▪ To dispel misconceptions about sexual activities that young people often practice while intending to be abstinent
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The meaning and benefits of abstinence
▪ Other ways of expressing affection or giving and receiving pleasure
▪ The challenges associated with remaining abstinent
▪ That practicing other forms of sexual intercourse (oral and anal sex) does not mean you are remaining abstinent
Do:
▪ Decide to abstain from all types of sexual intercourse if one decides to remain abstinent
▪ Figure out the boundaries that they will not cross with respect to romantic activity while being abstinent
Feel:
▪ Confident that they are aware of the risk associated with all different types of sex
▪ Confident that they can protect themselves from STIs and HIV
▪ Confident that they can deal with the challenges of remaining abstinent
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
There is a wide range of interpretation of what abstinence means. Some people believe that it refers to refraining from any type of romantic or sexual activity. Some people mistakenly believe it refers to refraining only from vaginal sex and or that it refers to have sex with only one partner. Misconceptions among young people about abstinence often lead them to practice unhealthy and unsafe sexual behavior.
CONTENT
What is Abstinence?
▪ Most definitions of abstinence simply mean that a person is not having any kind of genital sex with another person: not manual, oral, vaginal or anal sex.
▪ Abstinence here is also defined as not having any type of sex that puts you at risk of HIV and STI infection or unplanned pregnancy.
▪ Anal sex IS ‘real’ sex. If you have anal sex you are not abstaining from sexual intercourse. It carries risks just as high – physically and emotionally – as vaginal sex.
▪ The idea that having only anal sex preserves virginity is flawed because anal sex has a risk of pregnancy and STIs like HIV.
▪ Two people who have decided to be abstinent may still show affection for each other through physical actions that don’t involve sexual intercourse.
What are the benefits of abstinence?
▪ Abstaining until you are ready to have sex gives you more time to make informed and healthy decisions about having sex.
▪ Being abstinence provides the lowest risk for STI or HIV infection and unwanted pregnancy.
▪ Abstaining relieves you from the psychological stress and burden of worrying about HIV, other STIs, or unwanted pregnancy.
What are the challenges of becoming or remaining abstinence?
▪ Resisting pressure from one’s partner to have sex.
▪ Being considered backwards by people who think having sex is being arada.
▪ Believing that a person in a relationship must have sex to prove they care for their partner.
▪ Believing that if you don’t have sex with your parther, he/she will leave you.
▪ Men like sugar daddies who try to pressure young women into providing sex for materials or money.
▪ Hearing about older youth sexual activities and thinking that you should be doing the same thing.
▪ Not establishing boundaries about what romantic activity you will or will not engage in while being abstinent.
What are some of the ways you can deal with these challenges?
▪ Being assertive and voicing what you want and don’t want.
▪ Being firm in your beliefs and understanding that everything has it’s own time.
▪ Understanding that having sex with someone does not prove you love him/her.
▪ Understanding that a relationship can last without sex.
▪ Avoiding unhealthy ways of acquiring income by respecting yourself and sticking to your values
▪ Insisting that if a relationship is based only on sex then it’s not worth keeping.
▪ Establishing boundaries and limits about what physical activity you will engage in and what you will not engage in because you believe it will lead to sex
▪ Always have condoms around in case you change your mind.
What are other ways of expressing affection?
▪ Know your limits. You can still be physically affectionate with your partner but you both should now when you must stop being physical in order to avoid having sex with each other.
▪ Kissing, hugging, watching a movie together, picking flowers for each other, throwing a candlelight dinner for the other, cooking his/her favorite dish, etc…
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Talk to your partner about your motives for wanting to stay or become abstinent.
2. Listen to your partner when they talk to you about staying or becoming abstinent.
3. Talk with a trusted friend or family member about ways to express affection with your romantic partner that do not include anal, oral, or vaginal sex.
EPISODE 24: MULTIPLE CONCURRENT PARTNERSHIPS
Theme: Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To define multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP) among young people.
▪ To highlight the risks involved with having more than one sexual partner at a time.
▪ To encourage young people to analyze the status of their relationships.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ What multiple concurrent partnerships are
▪ The health risks involved with having more than one sexual partner at a time
▪ What it means to be a part of a sexual network
▪ Ways that help one choose the right partner
Do:
▪ Focus on improving relationships with one primary partner
▪ Focus on having one partner at a time
▪ Let go of multiple concurrent partnerships
▪ Communicate with partner about the risks of having more than one partner at the same time
▪ Practice safer sex
Feel:
▪ Responsible for protecting oneself and others
▪ Confident that one can avoid MCP and its risks
▪ Empowered to discontinue multiple concurrent partnerships if involved in them
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Anecdotally, many young people have multiple overlapping partners. In 2007, a qualitative study showed that respondents aged 15-19 had had 2.2 partners over the preceding 12 months. In this study, youth mentioned that it is common to have an average of 2-3 partners, one for school, one located on the road from school to home and one who resides in the community. Many respondents also asserted that having multiple partners is considered as an adventure. What many young people do not realize is that having multiple current partnerships greatly increases their risk of contracting HIV/STIs because these relationships are prone to unsafe sex and participants are part of an ever widening sexual network.
CONTENT
▪ What are multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP)?
o Having more than one regular/long-term sexual partner at the same time (could be over a few weeks or many years)
o Example: A young girl or boy has more than one boyfriend or girlfriend
▪ Why does it increase one’s risk of contracting HIV and other STIs?
o If a person has more than one regular sexual partner at the same time, each of his or her partners may also have other partners and so on. In this way, the person may be connected to a large sexual network, which includes many people.
o It is, therefore, not only a person’s immediate sexual partners that put him or her at risk for HIV and other STIs, but also their partners’ partners and so on, (People you do not even know, let alone trust, could be putting you at risk for HIV and other STIs!)
What are the consequences of MCPs?
▪ MCPs greatly increases your risk of contracting HIV, other STIs and of having unplanned pregnancies
▪ Psychological problems
o Fear of disease
o Fear of their sexual relationship being exposed
▪ Loss of self respect or self confidence due to bowing down to peer pressure
▪ Being in constant worry that you will get an STI or become pregnant
▪ Feeling constantly stressed about whether your family and friends will find out that you are in a multiple concurrent partnership
▪ Being a part of an unsafe and unhealthy sexual network
What are the benefits of avoiding MCP?
▪ Reduced risk to STI and HIV infection
▪ Avoid stress and the burden of worrying about who is in your sexual network and how that will increase the risk of HIV and STI infection
▪ Increased confidence in being able to resist peer pressure
▪ Increased self value and self worth via respecting oneself and one’s partner
▪ Increased self efficacy through being responsible for one’s life and one’s partner’s life
▪ Will have more positive energy and time to devote to safe and healthy relationships
How can one avoid MCP?
▪ Analyze what type(s) of relationship(s) you have. If you have more than one partner, you can still end it and get out of the MCP.
▪ Think about all the different risks involved and how that would impact on your life. Decide that you want to make changes.
▪ Get tested for HIV and STIs to have a fresh start and to know your health status.
▪ Be faithful to the one who you choose to be your only partner
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Avoid spending time with friends who encourage you to engage in risky behavior.
2. Delete the contact numbers of people with who you were engaged in MCP.
3. Get involved in activities that keep you away from returning to risky habits.
Episode 25: Romantic Relationships in High School – What I did for love
Theme: Relationships
PURPOSE:
▪ To demonstrate to young people that being in love should not require sacrifices and expectations from others that put their goals and their life at risk.
▪ To show that some of the sacrifices young people make come at a great cost to their life, income, dreams, health, reputation, and dignity.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Sacrifices for love should not make a person abandon their goals and dreams
▪ There IS limit to what you give to others
▪ Giving gifts beyond your capacity (by theft and qifela) doesn’t show that you love someone
▪ Sex cannot be a precondition for love
▪ Young people have the right to say “l love you” without being expected to show it by having sex
Do:
▪ Give their heart and love to a person they love instead of gifts that they can’t afford
▪ Stand up to pressure to have sex if they are not ready to have sex
▪ Stop expecting their partner to prove his/her love by having sex
▪ Stop pretending to be someone else other than themselves
Feel:
▪ That love is not worth sacrifices that put one’s life, health and goals at risk
▪ That showing one’s love through showing respect, care, trust and affection is enough
▪ Able to expect gifts that are only within their partners means and resources
▪ Confident and able to resist pressure to acquire gifts for their partners that they can’t afford
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Some young people believe that to express their love for someone means they should make certain sacrifices. Some of these young people make sacrifices that eventually destroy their goals and dreams and put their health and life at risk. For example, young women are often expected by their boyfriends to have sex with them to show that they love them. Also, young men are often expected to shower their girlfriends with expensive gifts that they can’t afford in order to show they love them. While love is a two-way street, it should not require serious sacrifices that cost money, your reputation, and unhealthy or forced decisions about sex.
CONTENT
Expressing love
▪ Love and attraction are different. Love grows over time between two people as they respect, care and trust each other. Attraction is usually instant and often short-lived.
▪ Showing love for someone is about having an emotional connection. Not about material gains or sexual expectations.
▪ Sex is not a way to prove a person loves another person. It is one of the many ways a person can express his/her love for another person. The decision to express one’s love via sex is totally up to each individual and no one should be pressured to have sex if he/she is not ready.
Managing our expectations
▪ Saying I love you - These three words mean a lot. Say it only if you mean it.
▪ Love should not be measured in birr. Love isn’t about how much money or gifts one gives or gets from his/her partner.
▪ Gifts are ways to show you appreciate your partner. Expecting a gift that is too expensive for your partner to afford means you are more concerned with what you can get out of your partner than the appreciation he/she is trying to show through gift giving.
▪ Sex can be a way to express love. Expecting your partner to have sex with you before he/she is ready means you are more concerned with what you can get out of your partner than his/her feelings.
Should we make sacrifices for love?
▪ Sacrifices for love should never put our health, goals and lives at risk. If they do, then we shouldn’t be making them.
▪ If you find yourself pretending to be someone you aren’t (ex: rich when you are not), then you shouldn’t be making these sacrifices.
▪ Young people are still trying to figure out who and what they are. Making sacrifices for love is premature.
▪ If our partners dump us because we wont have sex with them or because we don’t give them expensive gifts, then they weren’t worthy of our love in the first place.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Think up creative ways a person can show love for their boyfriend/girlfriend that don’t include sex or material gifts
2. Get together with your friends and compose funny poems about “Loving Me for Who I Am” and judge who has the best poem
Episode 26: Gambling with Life
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To make young people aware of the risks of gambling or taking risks with important aspects of their lives.
▪ To encourage young people to think before acting or taking risks.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Gambling with their lives by not thinking before they act can lead to harmful results
▪ The consequences of gambling with issues concerning relationships, sex and managing money
▪ How to think before every action they take, especially when it concerns relationships, sex and managing money
▪ How to weigh the pros and cons of decisions they make before they make decisions
Do:
▪ Think before they act
▪ Weigh the pros and cons of each risk or action they intend to take
▪ Avoid taking risks that are harmful
Feel:
▪ Confident they can identify and weigh the pros and cons of each decision
▪ That gambling with their life is harmful and risky
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people choose to take risks without properly thinking about their actions. They rush into making important decisions about life on impulse because they do not take the time needed to think about all the possible outcomes and consequences of a decision and their responsibility for the outcomes. They also must struggle with peer pressure and the lack of lack of good sources of advice.
CONTENT:
Many young people gamble with their life and make poor, impulsive, and risky decisions about relationships, sex and managing money without thinking. Some of the causes include:
▪ Searching for shortcuts in life
▪ Dropping out of school and thinking that certain gambles will pay off
▪ Poor communication within the family
▪ Lack of entertainment or recreational options for young people looking for fun things to do
What are the consequences of making impulsive decisions related to relationships, sex and managing money?
▪ Losing hope for future, and decrease in effort in schooling and other activities
▪ Damage to your self esteem, self confidence, energy level, motivation and ambition
▪ Getting into crime, becoming addicted to unhealthy substances, participating in risky sexual behavior
▪ Damage to physical health such as gastric problems from stress and unintended pregnancy, HIV, and STIs from impulsive decisions about sex
▪ Migrating impulsively to countries that treat immigrants harshly and violently
▪ Wasting time and money on gambles that don’t pay off
How to make cautious and well thought out decisions to prevent gambling with your life:
▪ Make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision
▪ Make a list of all the pros and cons of a particular decision you need to make
▪ Always talk to multiple people who you trust and who can provide you different perspective of a decision
▪ Taking risk results in consequences. Make sure you are aware of and prepared to take full responsibility for the repercussions and consequences.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Write down and weigh the pros and cons of every decision that deals with important things like gaining income and romantic relationship.
2. Talk to someone older who you trust about weighing the pros and cons of these important decisions.
Episode 27: Healthy Ways of Getting Income
Theme: Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To help young people gain income in healthy and productive ways
▪ To show young people healthy and productive ways of earning money
▪ To show young people the consequences of participating in unhealthy ways of earning income
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The dangers of unhealthy ways of making money
▪ Alternatives ways to safely earn money
Do:
▪ Explore ideas to safely and healthily earn income
▪ Involve themselves in safe and healthy ways of earning income
Feel:
▪ Empowered and proud of themselves for finding a healthy, safe, and productive way to earn income
▪ Confident that they can avoid unhealthy and unsafe ways such as sex for money/gifts
▪ Confident and able to stop unhealthy and unsafe income generating activities if they are involved in them
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people earn money in ways that put their health and their lives at risk. These young people consider having multiple sexual partners who give them money and gifts for sex as an easy way to earn money. More often than not in these relationships, young people have unsafe and unprotected sex, which exposes them to HIV, STI infection and unplanned and/or unwanted pregnancies. With 25.6% of young women and 68.8% of young men having unsafe sex (DHS 2000), and a low use of condoms and contraceptives among young people, the risk of HIV, STI infection and unplanned pregnancies are extremely high. Also, due to unequal power dynamics in these unsafe relationships, young people are exposed to sexual and other forms of physical violence and abuse.
CONTENT
What are the consequences earning income in unsafe and unhealthy ways?
▪ Loss of self-confidence and self esteem
▪ Dependency on others
▪ Loss of ability to make your own decisions and being at the beck and call of others
▪ Disgrace and loss of self respect
▪ Loss of respect from friends, parents and family
▪ HIV and STI infection
▪ Unintended pregnancy
▪ Sexual harassment, abuse and violence from partners
▪ Getting disowned by family
▪ Getting kicked out of school
▪ Getting blackmailed by those who have power over you
What are the advantages of earning income in healthy and productive ways?
▪ Increase in self-confidence
▪ Increase in independence
▪ Good health and no stress over whether you have acquired STIs or will become pregnant
▪ Increase in happiness and self esteem because you are achieving something on your own
▪ Support, respect and pride from your family
▪ Don’t have to worry about violence and abuse from people who control you with money
▪ Brighter outlook on the future
What are some ways of earning money that will not put us at risk?
▪ Sewing clothes. It’s a start to a career in fashion!
▪ Apprenticing at a business. You can learn the ropes and start your own!
▪ Running errands for stores or organizations. You can start to learn how they operate.
▪ Others from the audience
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Research the different ways people you admire made money when they were younger.
2. Think hard about what you will not sacrifice to acquire money.
Episode 28: My Purpose in Life – What do I live for?
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people that everyone has purpose in life
▪ To encourage young people to explore what their purpose in life is
▪ To demonstrate to young people that life is always full of challenges that require patience and endurance to overcome
Objectives:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ That every person has a purpose in life and this purpose must be respected
▪ You can have more than one purpose in life
▪ Patience, strength and endurance are necessary for anyone to achieve his/her purpose
▪ Every person is unique and their goals contribute to society in a unique way
▪ That one can start living one’s dreams starting now, not only in the far future
Do:
▪ Identify what their purpose(s) in life is
▪ Focus on achieving small steps to making their dreams a reality
▪ Avoid people, habits, situations, and things that separate them from what they want to be
▪ Identify goals towards what they want to achieve out of life
Feel:
▪ That they have a purpose in life and are special and unique
▪ Inspired to figure out what they want out of life
▪ Able and confident that they can achieve their purpose
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people get discouraged by the challenges they encounter in life, give up on the their goals and become hopeless. Many of these young people who give up on their goals or don’t explore their purpose in life wander aimlessly and act out in destructive ways. They also don’t understand how not knowing or searching to understand their purpose in life can be a damaging force in their lives and on society.
CONTENT
Identify your values and your principles
▪ Who am I? What do I stand for? What do I live by or what is my value system?
Everyone has a purpose in life. You must continue to evaluate yours! Ask yourself:
▪ How can my unique qualities contribute to society?
▪ What makes me happy?
▪ What are my talents?
▪ What and who do I live for?
Prioritize your goals and manage your time wisely
▪ You will definitely encounter different personal, environmental and societal
▪ Achieving your goals requires patience, strength and endurance
▪ Ask yourself, how much of myself will I invest to make my dreams come true? Remember, you reap what you sow.
▪ Identify people who inspire you and figure out their key to success
▪ Avoid people, things, habits, and situations that depress and de-motivate you
▪ Figure out what works for you so that you can begin living your dreams now
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Identify what drives you and makes you excited about life
2. Every month, research the life of a person who inspires you and identify their key(s) to success
3. Start identifying, building and documenting your own secret to success!
Episode 29: The only way to go Far is to look within!
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To help young people look into themselves and explore who they are
▪ To encourage young people to figure out their potential
▪ To help young people make their own decisions
▪ To show young people that they are responsible for themselves and their actions
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ That they have the potential to do anything
▪ That the answer to who they are and who they want to be lies within them
▪ To what extent people should accept others' opinion and advice
▪ That they should make their own decisions and not be dependent on others
Do:
▪ Make their own decisions
▪ Be confident and assertive about their ideas, thoughts and beliefs
Feel:
▪ Inspired, motivated, and encouraged to express their ideas and beliefs
▪ Confident about themselves
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
In striving to look like and live up to the expectations of others, young people often lose sight of who they are and what they want. Peer pressure from peers or other people contributes to young people feeling insecure and unassertive about themselves and the decisions they make. The inability to think for themselves leads them to lose confidence in themselves and their abilities. It also leads them to be dependent on others and indecisive about their ideas, wants and desires. Instead of helping young people analyze the choices they have and leave them to make their own decisions, peers and other people often push young people into agreeing to do things that they do not want to do.
CONTENT
How much do we know about ourselves?
▪ We need to identify what we want to do with our lives as opposed to what people expect from us
▪ We need to find out what inspires and motivates us the most
▪ We need to identify our interests and our hobbies
▪ We need to figure out what we want to do with our lives and believe that the sky is the limit!
How much do we rely on ourselves vs. others?
▪ How much weight do we give to others' opinion about us? Asking people for their perspective on an issue is important, but in the end it’s our opinion and ideas that matter.
▪ How do we let others affect our decisions and actions? We should ask advice from people we trust and use that advice to help us make decisions, but not let people make decisions for us.
▪ How far would we go in order to please others? Wanting to please others is normal. However, we should not do so if it is harmful to us, makes us feel less or hurts our self-esteem and confidence.
▪ Who is responsible for our actions? We do! Each person must take responsibility for the choices, decisions and actions they make.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Sit down for a few minutes each day and think about how much you let others influence your movements, actions and decisions that day. Think about how you felt and whether you feel it was helpful or harmful to you.
2. Research self-help books that discuss how to be your own person.
Episode 30: Gossip
Theme: Teen culture
PURPOSE
▪ To build help young people build the skills needed to overcome gossip
▪ To show young people the consequences of engaging in and surrendering to gossip
▪ To encourage young people to be confident and live by their own standards
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ That gossip and rumors hurt people and are often untrue
▪ How to handle and survive gossip and gossipy people
▪ That rumors can’t change a person’s life unless he/she lets it
▪ The consequences of gossip affect them
Do:
▪ Ignore or question gossip when it comes their way
▪ Avoid reacting emotionally to gossip, even if they’re offended
Feel:
▪ Confident that they can keep away from gossip and gossiping
▪ Uninterested in gossip about others
▪ Able to brush aside rumors that they hear
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Young people in urban areas are increasingly connected socially through technologies such as mobiles and social networking Internet sites. Although this increase facilitates the flow of ideas between young people, it also allows gossip to travel fast. Thus, the bullying, teasing, and name-calling that happens on school grounds also impacts victims when they aren’t at school. This causes even more distress to victims of rumors and gossip.
CONTENT
Why do young people gossip?
▪ Jealousy of peers who are at the center of rumors
▪ Disputes between different groups of friends
▪ People are nosy or jealous of the romantic relationships of others
▪ Young people often aren’t careful or selective about who they interact with online
▪ They are often too trusting and expose themselves to strangers on social media
What are the consequences of gossiping or letting gossip affect you?
▪ Victims end up skipping school to avoid teasing or bullying
▪ Victims lose self-confidence
▪ You might end up doing something you don’t want to do in order to get the approval of others and to avoid being the center of rumors
▪ Whether you gossip or gossiped about, you are mistreated in school and among peers
▪ Whether you gossip or gossiped about, your grades get worse
▪ You become more aggressive and unpleasant at home as a result of built-up stress
How do we avoid gossip?
▪ Gossip and rumors hurt people and are often untrue. When you hear gossip, walk in the other direction!
▪ Take a “who cares” attitude to gossip and rumors you hear.
▪ Avoid peers that always have something to tell you about someone else.
▪ Get engaged in productive activities or social groups at school
▪ If you hear gossip or rumors about yourself, decide how you want to silence the rumor – by ignoring it or confronting the person who spread it with the truth. Either way, rumors can only hurt you if you let them.
▪ Be careful who you trust with your personal affairs online. The people you interact with can always send anything that you put on Facebook, Gchat, or even SMS to another person.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
• Find interesting things to do at school that involve healthy and productive conversations
• Discuss your private affairs with friends you trust and keep your private affairs off the internet
Episode 31: TEENAGE Fatherhood
Theme: Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people (especially young men) the serious consequences of becoming a teenage father
▪ To demonstrate the challenges of being a teenage father
▪ To identify the responsibilities of being a father
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Why young men end up as teenage fathers
▪ The consequences and challenges of being a teenage father
▪ The responsibilities associated with being a father
Do:
▪ Delay having sex until they are ready to shoulder the responsibility that comes with having sex
▪ Consistently use condoms and require their partners to use other contraceptives if they do have sex
Feel:
▪ Wary of the consequences of early fatherhood
▪ Determined to take precautions to prevent becoming a father while a teenager
▪ Determined to take responsibility towards his child and the mother of his child if he is a teenage father
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Misconceptions about pregnancy among young people is high both in urban and rural areas. In a 2007 study, only 40% of respondents report that pregnancy can occur at first sexual encounter. The percentage increases among young people aged 15-19 (BBC 2007). However, 15-18 years old do not have comprehensive knowledge of contraceptive methods, how to use them, or when to access them (Ali 2006). Due to these misconceptions and gaps in knowledge and access, young people have unsafe sex, which often leads to increased rates of unplanned pregnancies among young women. Young women end up carrying the burden of parenthood all by themselves. Many young men do not internalize the consequences of unplanned pregnancies and think that they do not have to deal with the outcome of unsafe sex. They therefore do not take responsibility for providing emotional and financial support to the life that they created.
CONTENT
How does a young man end up being a teenage father?
▪ By having sex before he or his partner is ready (mentally and physically)
▪ By not having accurate information about sex and relationships before he decides to have sex
▪ By not using condoms
▪ By not requiring his partner to use contraceptives such as birth control pills
▪ By not making plans and goals about the type of family he wants in the future
▪ By not caring about his future or other people
What are the consequences and challenges of becoming a teenage father?
▪ Dropping out or postponing high school because you have to find a job to support your child
▪ Being seen as irresponsible and good for nothing by family, friend, teachers and your community
▪ Letting down your family
▪ Worrying and stressing about finding money to support your child and his/her mother
▪ Feeling hopeless if you can’t make enough money or find time for your other interests
▪ Not being able to hang out with your friends because you have to work or spend time with your child
▪ Facing teasing and hostility from insensitive peers
▪ Loss of your teenage years
What are the responsibilities of being a father?
▪ Be a caregiver to the child until he/she has grown up, i.e. (change diapers, stay up late at night when the child is crying, help with homework)
▪ Being a good role model for your son or daughter
▪ Spend time with the child and help him/her develop his/her value system
▪ Financially support the child until he/she has grown up
▪ Do all that you can possibly do to make sure the child is a productive member of society
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Find a friend of an older person you know who became a father as a teenager and interview him about his experience.
2. Find a person whose father was a teenager and ask them about their experience growing up.
3. Make a list about the type of father that you want to be for your children.
Episode 32: Disability and ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Theme: Life Skills, Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To challenge misconceptions about people with disabilities and relationships
▪ To enhance the confidence of young people with disabilities
▪ To provide young people with disabilities with an alternative message
OBECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ People with disabilities have the same desires and aspirations, hopes and fears, dreams and fantasies, worries and hang-ups as everyone else
▪ Every person, disabled or not, is entitled to experience the joy, caring, beauty, and ups and downs of romantic relationships
▪ People with disabilities are often more vulnerable to risks associated with relationships and sex
▪ People with disabilities are often strong-minded and resilient because of having to live with their disability
Do:
▪ Admire people with disabilities for their strength and resilience
▪ Talk to others positively about people with disabilities
▪ Adopt a more positive approach to their lives and to others
▪ Focus on what people with disabilities CAN do versus what they CAN’T do
Feel:
▪ That they (young people with disabilities) too can love and be loved
▪ More positive about their lives and having relationships as a disabled person
▪ Empathetic (not pity) towards people with disabilities
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Too often relationships are not considered important or discussed with people with physical or mental disabilities. People with disabilities sometimes blame their disabilities for their emotional solitude but this blame is despairing and defeatist. Most people also assume that disabled people have a low risk for unplanned pregnancy, STIs and HIV because they think disabled people have no sexual experience. Additionally, many people take advantage of disabled people when it comes to romantic relationships because they think disabled people can’t defend for themselves. Because of these factors, disabled people often make unhealthy decisions and are at risk of being taken advantage of.
CONTENT
What is disability?
▪ Disability can be any number of physical or mental chronic illnesses or handicaps that limits a person’s major life activities like communicating with others, caring for oneself, understanding information, keeping a job or traveling, eating, or sleeping.
▪ Disabilities may affect one’s ability to move, see, talk, hear, or more than one of these things.
Why are people with disabilities often more vulnerable in romantic relationships?
▪ They are often dependent on others for economic and psychological support
▪ They are often susceptible and vulnerable to the advanced and behaviors of other people who may force them into sexual activity
▪ As a result, people with disabilities have a higher risk for HIV and STI infection
▪ They and the people around them are not knowledable about issues of relationships, sexuality, and disability
▪ People with disabilities may not have had the same opportunities of learning about themselves or others because of restricted social contact
▪ Low self esteem can attract predators hoping to take advantage of them
▪ They are pitied by others instead of empathized with
What should I understand about disabled people and romantic relationships?
▪ Finding a partner and maintaining a relationship – sexual or otherwise – is a right for every human being
▪ Just like everyone else, disabled people are sexual beings and want to experience safe, healthy, and mutually respectful and beneficial relationships
▪ Just like everyone else, disabled people must make decisions about when to become sexually active, practice safe sex, use contraceptives and work on better communication with their partner
▪ As a disabled person, being up-front and assertive about what you want and don’t want is extremely important for a healthy existence
▪ Like people without disabilities, disabled people must understand that assertive communication and having a healthy body image are necessary when looking for a relationship
▪ Loving oneself encourages others to accept you for who you are
▪ Friends, family, peers and teachers of people with disability should try to relate to them but not pity them. Imagine yourself in their shoes!
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Interview a person with a disability about his/her experience with relationships.
2. Join or volunteer at groups for people with physical and social disabilities in your communities or online to better understand their concerns.
Episode 33: Young people and Prison
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To help young people understand the consequences of committing a crime
▪ To shed light on how going to prison affects one’s life
▪ To help young people avoid the vicious cycle of criminal activity and prison
Objectives:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The reasons why young people end up in prison
▪ The consequences of committing a crime and being imprisoned
▪ How to avoid getting into and returning to prison
Do:
▪ Avoid people that have criminal intentions
▪ Avoid situations that will involve them in crime
▪ Learn more about and respect the law
Feel:
▪ That they can be responsible citizens
▪ Confident that they can avoid crime
▪ Determined to avoid returning to prison if they have been in prison
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people make bad choices that result in them committing crimes. These crimes are often avoidable by thinking clearly before taking risks. Because of these crimes, young people end up in jail for short or long terms. These young people pay the price for being prison by having their lives and goals interrupted and in some cases, altered forever.
CONTENT
Why do many young people end up in prison?
▪ Being in the wrong place at the wrong time
▪ Petty theft and major robbery
▪ Getting into group fights
▪ Attacking someone with the intent to harm them
▪ Substance addiction leads them to committing crimes in order to acquire substances
▪ Dealing drugs in order to get money
▪ They are caught in a vicious cycle of crime and prison that is hard to escape
Why do young people engage in unlawful activities?
▪ Making bad decisions and choices
▪ Lack of lawful employment options
▪ Lack of lawful options of recreation and entertainment
▪ Thinking that short cuts will lead to wealth
▪ To support their family
▪ To cover the expenses of their dates
▪ To cover the expenses of alcohol, drugs, and other substances
▪ Pressure from peers who think it is cool and heroic to gamble with one’s life
▪ Seeing other people who make a living out of it
What are the consequences of committing a crime and going to prison?
▪ Failing yourself, your parents, and your family
▪ Losing self-respect
▪ Lagging behind, interruption or postponement of schooling
▪ Loss of or inability to get and/or keep a job
▪ Hostility and shunning from peers and community
▪ Disgracing and embarrassing your family
▪ Losing your parents’, siblings’, friends’ and community’s trust
▪ Imprisonment for short or long term. Being in prison is no joke!
▪ Beatings, physical injury, and even death before or during imprisonment
▪ No access to up-to-date information about your family, friends, community, the world while in prison
▪ Starving and getting sick in prison
▪ Loss of social rights
How do we avoid going to prison or returning to prison (If we’ve been there)?
▪ Avoid friends that are a bad influence
▪ Have the courage to say no to doing things that are unlawful or hurt others
▪ Keep oneself busy with lawful work
▪ Focus on getting the most our of your education
▪ Learn about the law so that you can make sure what you do is not against the law
▪ Ask yourself: “Why am I doing this? Should I do be doing this? Is this who I am?”
▪ Weigh the pros and cons of anything you do
▪ Be an accountable citizen
▪ If you are in prison, do all of the above and:
o Take skills building classes
o Get into school
o Avoid people who haven’t changed and who don’t plan to change
o Exert effort to change yourself and shorten your sentence
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. STOP NOW! If you are involved in unlawful activity, stop doing it now!
2. Make "Kezih hulu qittat yishalal mattat!"(It is better to have nothing than going through all the trouble) part of your life’s motto
3. Interview someone who has been in prison about his/her experience
Episode 34: What Money Can’t Fix
Theme: Parent-child communication
PURPOSE:
▪ To show parents that being a parent means providing emotional as well as financial support to their children
▪ To help parents understand the importance of communicating and spending time with their children
Objectives:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Being a parent is about providing care and emotional support as well as financial support
▪ That money parents may give their children can’t replace love, affection and care that children need from their parents
▪ Children expect emotional support and care from their parents, not only money
Do:
▪ Get more involved in their children's lives
▪ Communicate with their children instead of giving them money to avoid giving them parental attention
Feel:
▪ Interested in being more involved in their children’s lives
▪ An increase in responsibility for their children’s emotional needs
▪ Determined to learn how to better communicate with their children
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many parents do not know how to communicate with their children or don’t make the time to communicate with their children. Also, some parents think money can replace their presence in their children’s life. Due to these two issues, parents may give their children money thinking that it will fix these issues. They assume that children will be satisfied with money and thus parents neglect providing emotional support and parental attention.
CONTENT
What does it mean to be a parent?
▪ Being a parent is hard work!
▪ Being a caregiver to your children
▪ Helping your children form their value system
▪ Communicating with your children about their lives and helping them with their decisions, dilemmas, and concerns
▪ Being a good role model for your children
▪ Financially supporting your children
▪ Making sure your children are productive members of society
What do young people expect from their parents?
▪ To love, respect, and trust them
▪ To help with making decisions but not make decisions for them
▪ To listen and talk to them and provide advice
▪ To spend time with them instead of just giving them money
▪ To provide support for school related matters, i.e. homework, tutoring, extracurricular interests
▪ To tell kids when they are doing something harmful to their health, future, and well being
▪ To admonish or scold them when they are doing something wrong
▪ To expect parents to be good role models that kids can look up to
What are the consequences of only providing financial support to your children?
▪ Poor communication between you and your children
▪ Your children won’t involve you in their lives
▪ Children will not think critically but will expect money to solve their problems
▪ Children will grow up thinking that money solves everything
▪ Children may not develop communication skills or important values
▪ Parent will continue to avoid responsibility for his/her children
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Parents, every day ask your children about their day
2. Parents, set aside time each day to just listen to your children talk about events in their lives
3. Kids, every day ask your parents about their day
Episode 35: What Parents Know but Don’t Say about sex
Theme: Parent-child Communication
PURPOSE:
• To encourage parents to talk to their teenagers about sex and sexuality.
• To encourage parents to talk to their teenagers about reproductive health issues.
• To help parents understand how to talk to their teenagers about sex.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The benefits of communicating with young people about sexual issues
▪ The benefits of having open, non-judgmental, honest and mutually respectful discussions with young people about sexual issues
Do:
▪ Talk about sex and reproductive health issues with their teenagers
▪ Share their personal experiences about sex and relationships as a young person
▪ Seek updated and accurate information about sexual reproductive health for teens
Feel:
▪ Confident that they have enough accurate information to be the right source of information about sexual issues for their teenagers
▪ That they must avoid the risks of not having open and honest discussions about sex with their children
▪ Confident and comfortable that they can talk about sexual issues with their teenagers
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
In Ethiopia, open discussion about sex is considered taboo and unacceptable, especially with teenagers. Talking about sex is uncommon even among partners and couples. With respect to teenagers, parents do not talk openly about sex with their children. For example, in a 2007 study conducted by the BBC in Ethiopia, 69% of respondents discussed or sought out advice from friends as opposed to parent (22%) a partner (17%) or the media (17%) (BBC 2007). As a result, young people often turn to other sources of information about sex and sexuality. Because many young people do not have accurate or updated information about sex and reproductive health issues, the information they get from their peers is often incorrect, harmful, misleading, and laden with misconceptions.
CONTENT
Why should parents talk to their children about sexual issues?
▪ Knowing about sex doesn’t mean that kids will have sex. Young people start forming their ideas about sexuality before they have sex. Having the right info helps them to make informed decisions about sex when confronted with these decisions
▪ It’s important to help kids/teens/young people form healthy values and ideas about sex and relationships before they become sexually active
▪ The responsibility lies on parents to help their teenagers create and nurture a healthy set of values and ethics about sex
▪ Because parents want their children to be the happiest and healthiest they can be
▪ Because parents were once kids/teens/young people, they have experienced sex and relationships and can share their experiences with their children
How should parents talk to their children about sexual issues?
▪ Young people need updated, accurate, honest, and non-judgmental information that will help them understand their identities, bodies, relationships and lives
▪ Parents should become more knowledgeable about sexual reproductive issues for teenagers
▪ Be aware that times change and young people must deal with different issues than they did when their parents were their age
▪ Kids don’t want to talk to parents because they think their parents don’t understand them or will demand that they “do as they say.” Don’t force them to talk, but be there for them
▪ Parents must work on having open, caring, mutually respectful conversations with their children
▪ Parents should share their concerns and feelings, not give commands to their children
What are the benefits of talking to young people about sexual issues?
▪ Young people will at least have the perspective of a person they know cares about them and who they trust and care about
▪ Young people will have the information they need before they need it
▪ Parents will learn more about who their teenager is as a person
▪ Young people will be more open to talking to and coming to their parents for advice
▪ Young people will be more confident and assertive in confronting peer pressure and challenges when it comes to dealing with sex and relationships
▪ Young people will have a healthy set of values and ethics that support healthy sexuality will benefit them now and in the future
What are the consequences for not discussing sexual issues with young people?
▪ Young people may turn to peers, media, and online sources for information. Much of this information is misleading, damaging, and filled with other motives than providing helpful information for young people
▪ Young people may feel alienated from their parents and as a result, go elsewhere for all their information
▪ Young people will not build the confidence they need to challenge incorrect sources of information or avoid pressure from their peers
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Learn about anatomy and sexual and reproductive issues for teenagers yourself. Focus on one topic a week, but make sure you learn something new.
2. Ask other parents and look online for tips on how to have open discussions with young people so that your children feel comfortable talking to you about these issues.
3. Share some of your relationship experiences from when you were their age.
EPISODE 36: FIRST SEX AND ITS EMOTIONS
Same as above on page 29.
Episode 37: Loving Oneself
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
• To show young people what it means to love oneself
• To encourage young people to love themselves
• To help young people understand the importance of loving and respecting oneself
• To encourage young people to search within themselves for what they really want to be
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Why one should love oneself
▪ The importance of loving oneself
▪ Knowing and being yourself is key to loving yourself
▪ The consequences of not loving oneself
Do:
▪ Think positively about themselves
▪ Devote time from their day to work on loving themselves
▪ Begin working on loving themselves
Feel:
▪ Conscious of how they think about themselves
▪ Motivated to work on loving themselves
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Loving oneself is often discouraged culturally and spiritually because it is often seen as being arrogant and conceited. However, loving oneself means to care about and value oneself. Many young people do not know, value, respect or care for themselves and thus fail to avoid destructive influences and strive for their maximum potential. They also do not understand the consequences of not respecting and loving themselves.
CONTENT
What does it mean to love oneself?
It means:
▪ Caring about, taking responsibility for, respecting, and valuing yourself, and being honest about your strengths and weaknesses
▪ Accepting yourself as you are and knowing that you will also change as you grow
▪ Truly understanding your strengths and weaknesses and embracing them as part of you
How does one love oneself?
▪ Identify positive characteristics that define you and improve on those elements of your personality
▪ Be who you really are and don’t be afraid of what others think
▪ Work towards being the person you want to be
▪ Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend
▪ Do what you love to do and what gives you joy and happiness
▪ Forgive yourself. Learn from your mistakes and keep growing!
▪ Care for yourself by doing the things that bring you peace like eating right, exercising, reading your favorite books, meditating, etc.
▪ Don’t compare yourself with others. You and everyone on this earth are unique and on different paths of growth
▪ Embrace who you are and what you look like
▪ Figure out what you really want other than material objects
▪ Trust yourself and don’t follow others blindly
▪ Practice accepting praise and love. You deserve it!
▪ Practice saying no! You have the right to do so
▪ Treat others how you would want to be treated
Why should I love myself?
▪ Loving oneself helps one avoid being discouraged and feeling hopeless
▪ It increases your confidence, self-awareness and knowledge
▪ It prevents one from being influenced easily by destructive influences
What happens if one doesn’t love oneself?
▪ A person becomes more easily influenced by peer pressure
▪ A person becomes more vulnerable to depression and even suicide
▪ A person may fail to achieve their goals in life without the self-confidence loving oneself brings
▪ A person may take dangerous risks with their life because they don’t value it. These risks can lead to substance addiction, unhealthy and unsafe sexual activity, and unwanted pregnancies
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Think about the little things about personality that make you happy. Try to practice them more and more each day.
2. Write a personal ad about yourself explaining what kind of person you are. Look at it every month and change it as necessary.
Episode 38: Popularity
Theme: Values
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people how to overcome peer pressure from popular peers
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The difference between popularity and success
▪ That following popular people can make a person lose his/her identity
▪ That the energy people put into following and being like others should be turned inwards
Do:
▪ Overcome the influence of popular peers
▪ Prioritize school work, studying, and improving their performance over maintaining a school “image”
▪ Develop their own personal style that makes them most comfortable with themselves
▪ Think about the consequences of blindly following popular peers
Feel:
▪ Confident about their own self image and style
▪ Curious about how they will form their own self image and style
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people live for the approval of their popular peers. They observe that the most popular kids are admired and accepted by everybody. Young people thus consider popular peers’ behavior, self-image, and style as the standard they should look up to. This admiration and acceptance is often misplaced because these popular peers’ behavior is more often than not self-centered, self-absorbed, and self-serving. Young people waste a lot of energy on trying to look like and be like these popular kids instead of focusing on developing their own self-image and sense of style.
CONTENT:
Why do people young people follow popular peers?
▪ They don’t care about thinking for themselves
▪ They want to be in with the cool crowd
▪ Low self-esteem
▪ The belief that school life is the only world that matters and they can’t see the possibilities of their lives beyond school
▪ They incorrectly think that being popular means being successful
What are the consequences of following popular people?
▪ If a person has low self-esteem or low self-awareness, they can become vulnerable to the influence of popular peers
▪ Lack of knowledge and belief in one’s own self image and style
▪ They may put all of their energy into to fulfilling the egos, needs, and standards of these peers. For example:
o They will do anything to make their popular peer happy thinking that it help maintain their ‘friendship’
o They try to imitate popular peers
o They live for the approval of popular peers in school
▪ In order to secure the attention and praise of their popular peers, they may adopt behaviors that are harmful to their health. For example: Smoking, chewing chat, drinking alcohol, having sex when not they aren’t ready, having multiple sexual partners, having sex without a condom, etc.
▪ They spend money they don’t have to keep up with the material standards of their popular peers.
▪ They become vulnerable to the control of others or will ‘march to the tune of others’
▪ They will miss out on other experiences that are more productive and interesting
What are the alternatives to following popular people?
▪ Let your group of friends know that you want them to do activities you want to do
▪ Evaluate what your group of friends does. Ask yourself: does it violate your values?
▪ Prioritize developing/finding out who you are/your self-image and style over following other people
▪ Weigh the consequences of what your friends (popular or not) expect/ask/want you to do. Remember, you reap what you sow!
▪ Remember to be assertive and stand up for what you believe in!
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Identify your own self-image and style.
2. Think about your friends and how they react when you act like your true self. Make new friends if the reaction is negative (they mock, laugh at, or humiliate you).
3. Create your own group of friends who share the same values as you.
Episode 39: Communicating with our parents
Theme: Parent-Child Communication
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people how to communicate with their parents about important things in their lives.
▪ To motivate young people to communicate with their parents.
▪ To demonstrate the successful outcomes of talking to parents about important things.
▪ To encourage parents to listen to young people about young people’s issues.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Why communication between parents and young people is important
▪ The consequences of minimal or no communication between parents and young people
▪ How to communicate with parents/with young people
Do:
▪ Initiate communication with parents about important things
▪ Initiate communication with young people
Feel:
▪ Confident in their ability to talk to parents about important things
▪ Increased attachment and trust in parents as people they can confide in
▪ Motivated to hold open, honest, and non-judgmental conversations with young people about important issues in their lives
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
For many reasons, many young people do not communicate with parents about important issues in their lives. For example, open discussion about sex is considered taboo and unacceptable. Therefore parents don’t talk to their kids about sex and young people look to other sources of information. In 2007, a BBC study showed that 69% of respondents discussed or sought out advice from friends as opposed to parent (22%) a partner (17%) or the media (17%). The lack of communication between parents and young people, can therefore lead to parents and young people feeling alienated and distant from each other. Also, young people often face challenges with forming their value system, identity, and with issues such as sexual debut, relationships and peer pressure. However, this distance between parents and children contributes to young people feeling lonely, stressed and disconnected from their parents. Additionally, parents also feel disconnected from their children and are more comfortable with maintaining control over their children instead of understanding them.
CONTENT
Why should young people talk to their parents about important things in their lives?
▪ To ensure that kids are less susceptible to influence from sources of information that can be harmful
▪ Parents were once young and have experience with dealing with life issues such as sex, relationships and peer pressure
▪ Parents’ advice can help us (young people) navigate our own lives
▪ Our parents love us (young people). It’s good to hear the perspective of someone who loves us and cares about our well being and our future
▪ Our parents raised us, so they know us better than most people
▪ The more young people communicate with their parents, the easier it will be to continue to communicate with them
▪ As more parents communicate with their children and become open, honest, non-judgmental sources of information about crucial things such as sex, relationships and peer pressure, the less taboo it will be to talk about these things
What are the consequences of no or minimal communication between parents and young people?
▪ Young people may feel lost and confused about sex, relationships and peer pressure
▪ Parents may feel that young people are not mature and they may not trust them
▪ Parents may not be able to help young people through the important changes in their lives
▪ Parents may not understand their children
▪ Young people will find it more difficult to communicate with parents as time passes and therefore miss out on the chance to benefit from their experiences
▪ Young people may grow up not knowing how to communicate in their own relationships
How can parents and young people have favorable communication with each other?
▪ Parents should listen to children and be patient, non judgmental, and understanding
▪ Parents should ask questions to better understand the perspective of their kids
▪ Young people should ask parents to set aside time to talk about their (youth) issues
▪ Young people can frame the discussion as a request to their parents for their opinion on a theoretical issue.
▪ The key is for parents and young people to LISTEN to each other.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Each day, ask your parent for some time to discuss one thing about your life.
2. Parents, in one of these conversations, try to just listen to your kid and ask only questions about he/she feels about their issue.
Episode 40: Concealed Truths
Theme: Reproductive Health and HIV
PURPOSE:
▪ To define anal and oral sex
▪ To dispel misconceptions about anal and oral sex
▪ To inform young people about the risks associated with anal and oral sex
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The definition of anal and oral sex
▪ The major misconceptions about anal and oral sex among young people
▪ The risks associated with having anal and oral sex
Do:
▪ Have a better understand about the risks of anal and oral sex
▪ Decide to research and fully understand the risk of any sexual act before engaging in it
▪ Be assertive about voicing what they want to do and don’t want to do with their partner
Feel:
▪ Confident that they have more accurate knowledge about anal and oral sex
▪ More empowered to make more informed decisions about practicing anal or oral sex
▪ Compelled to avoid the risks associated with anal and oral sex
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people engage in anal and oral sex without accurate information about the associated risks. In recent studies (CITATION), 4.3% of young people aged [?] reported ever having anal sex. The mean age of initiation from this study is 14.8 years. Of these 4.3%, almost 74% of them did not use condoms when practicing anal sex and almost 83% intended to continue having anal sex. Similarly, 5.4% of young people in this study reported ever having oral sex. The mean age of initiation for oral sex was 14.6 years.
Myths and misconceptions about anal and oral sex also abound among young people who are looking for alternatives to penetrative vaginal sexual intercourse. Misconceptions include the idea that anal sex keeps one safe from HIV, STIs and pregnancy or that anal and oral sex preserve ones virginity. Due to the social silence on this taboo issue, young people get their information from unreliable sources that spread these misconceptions and increase their risk for HIV, STIs and unwanted pregnancy.
CONTENT
What is oral and anal sex?
▪ Oral sex is sexual activity between partners in which any area on someone's genitals are being stimulated by someone else's mouth, lips or tongue.
▪ Anal sex is any kind of sex, which involves a person's anus or rectum. That can be oral sex, manual sex, or it can also be anal intercourse, with either a penis or a sex toy.
▪ Like all forms of sexual activity, it is necessary to acquire consent before a person engages in oral or anal sex with another person.
What are some major misconceptions about anal and oral sex?
▪ That oral and anal sex is not sex. Wrong! They are both forms of sex.
▪ That there is no or low risk of being infected by HIV or other STIs during anal and oral sex. Wrong! Anal sex poses the same or higher risk of infection and oral sex poses some risk as well.
▪ That a female can’t get pregnant from anal sex. Wrong! Because of the presence of sperm so close to the vagina, it is possible to become pregnant or make someone pregnant during anal sex.
▪ That you can stay a virgin if you only have oral or anal sex. Wrong! Virginity is NOT a medical term. It is a social one. So, if you believe that being a virgin means not engaging in sex, than maybe having anal and oral sex would mean you are no longer a virgin.
▪ That in order to keep your partner, you must have anal or oral sex with them when they ask. Wrong! If your partner really cares for you, he/she will stay with you regardless of whether you have sex with them or not.
What are the risks associated with having anal and oral sex?
▪ Anal sex poses the same -- and sometimes higher -- risks of infection that vaginal sex presents and can pose pregnancy risks like vaginal sex can.
▪ Although the risk is lower, a person can transmit or contract STIs and HIV while having oral sex.
▪ Anal sex presents all the same kinds of emotional or relationship risks or challenges any other kind of sex can.
▪ Some people are not ready for the physical and emotional consequences of anal and oral sex. It is important to have correct information and be with someone who genuinely cares about your welfare before doing any sexual activity.
What else do I need to know about anal and oral sex?
▪ People are happiest with their lives if they make the decisions they really want to make, so no one should be pressured into doing something they don’t want to do.
▪ Always seek and confirm consent from your partner for any sexual activity.
▪ If you don’t want to have sex until you are married, then don’t have sex until you are married! Anal and oral sex are both forms of sex.
▪ If you have sex, any type of sex, make sure you use protection and keep you and your partner safe!
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Discuss with friends what you’ve learned from this episode.
2. Contact the DAGU Youth Program for youth friendly resources on sexuality. Learn about behaviors and their associated risk BEFORE you become sexually active.
Episode 41: In search of a Better Life
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To help young people understand the dangers and risks associated with illegal migration
▪ To portray the challenges that are a part of illegal migration
▪ To dispel misconceptions about illegal migration
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ The challenges, risks and dangers of illegal migration
▪ That some of the challenges people encounter when migrating illegally are life threatening
▪ That it is possible to make a living and strive for a better life in one’s own country
Do:
▪ Focus on building their lives in Ethiopia
▪ Research migration and its effects on those who have migrated illegally to other countries
Feel:
▪ Curious about testing their worth in their own country
▪ Conscious of how illegal migration would affect them
▪ Eager to avoid the dangers of illegal migration
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people migrate to other countries in search of better financial circumstances for themselves and their families. The employment opportunities they find in these countries are more often than not menial, manual, and low paid labor. In addition to these employment opportunities, negative cultural views in these countries about migrants expose migrants to appalling treatment. The treatment that migrants (legal or illegal) receive in these countries is often negative, dangerous, harmful, and violent. Young people are deceived with promises of better lives in these countries but end up losing their life savings, their dignity, their youth, and sometimes their lives.
CONTENT
Why do people migrate?
People migrate because they:
▪ Want better financial opportunities and a better life
▪ Think that achieving a better life will be quicker and easier elsewhere
▪ Do not agree with government policies
▪ Have broken the law and want to migrate to avoid punishment
▪ Are discriminated against in their country
▪ Lose hope in their country, education, and themselves
▪ Have disagreements and arguments with their family
▪ Follow or leave the country with people they are married to or love
▪ Want to be like other migrants who give the impression that they succeeded
▪ Are pressured or expected by their families to migrate
▪ Are motivated by people who have money to join them
▪ Think they’ll never make it in their country
▪ Refuse employment that they think is beneath them and are picky
How does illegal migration happen?
▪ People approach illegal agencies/brokers
▪ People engage in illegal activities to make money to travel
▪ People trade sex for money and travel documents
▪ People travel very long distances across dangerous terrain to get to other countries
▪ People are deceived by brokers and agencies and are trafficked across borders
What happens to people who migrate illegally?
▪ People who travel by land and sea are vulnerable to being robbed, raped, or imprisoned; they experience extreme hunger, thirst, depression, harassment, or even death and suicide
▪ Traveling by land also exposes one to being attacked by animals; traveling by sea exposes one to drowning
▪ Both methods of traveling expose migrants to human trafficking and human rights violations
▪ Illegal migrants can be refused entry into the country they reach
▪ Illegal entry into a country can result in living as an illegal immigrant without citizen rights; it can lead to long and unsuccessful attempts at changing one’s illegal status to a legal one
▪ Illegal migrants get involved in labor intensive and menial work for very low wages
▪ They end up engaging in illegal activities such as theft, robbery and commercial sex work
What are alternatives to illegal migration?
▪ Explore different alternatives within your country
▪ Work hard in school and at your education
▪ Acquire skills through trainings and use those skills
▪ Respect all types of jobs. They can get you to where you want to be
▪ Research information about the reality of migration to the countries you are interested in
▪ Try to resist the pressure or expectations of your family to migrate. Try to find ways to support your family in-country
▪ If you seek education outside of the country, keep your status legal in the country you go to. Don’t fall into illegal status
▪ Discuss the challenges, risks, or opportunities of migration with friends, family members and close relatives
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Interview someone who you know has migrated to another country and has returned about his or her experiences.
2. Research the issue of migration from Ethiopia. In your research, identify where people go and what happens to them when they are there.
Episode 42: Enjoyable or Not? The Turning Point
Theme: Teen culture and Life skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people how to handle entertaining situations that turn unpleasant, reckless and are no longer entertaining
▪ To encourage young people to have safe and smart fun
▪ To show young people the risks of ignoring when fun is no longer fun or entertaining for themselves and for others
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ How to recognize when fun or entertainment is no longer enjoyable
▪ How to handle situations when one’s recreation turns harmful or has increased risk
▪ The importance of establishing limits when having fun or partying
Do:
▪ Establish limits on how much time they will spend; partying they will do; and how much they will drink (if they drink), while having fun with friends
▪ Stick to their established limits
▪ Listen and be respectful to the limits of their friends, schoolmates and acquaintances
▪ Observe their friends to see if their friends’ limits are being respected
Feel:
▪ Responsible for their own actions and choices of entertainment
▪ Confident they can establish limits on how they have fun
▪ Empowered to have their friends’ best interest at heart (‘have their back’)
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people in urban areas have few options for youth friendly recreation and entertainment. As a result, some young people look to risky forms of recreation. They often believe that taking risks is the only stimulating way to have fun or they believe it is the only way to be ‘arada.’ This phenomenon encourages them to become distracted from their education and from other life goals. Even worse, they become exposed to behavior that can lead to drug and alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, STIs, and unwanted pregnancy while seeking entertainment.
CONTENT:
While looking for fun, many young people may end up in situations that turn unpleasant, reckless, or unsafe because the following occur:
▪ Excessive drinking, smoking, chewing chat, gambling, etc.
▪ Sex as entertainment, having multiple partners and not using proper protection
▪ Group fighting in clubs or other risky environments
How to recognize when entertaining situations turn unpleasant, unsafe or reckless
▪ Tension levels are high
▪ When you or your friends are uncomfortable about what is happening and are not enjoying things anymore
▪ People seem uncomfortable
▪ People may be drinking in order to make things “more fun”
▪ People are sullen, moody, crying, or not responsive to you
▪ People are disagreeing with things that people in the party or group are doing
How to handle these situations
▪ Stop urging people to do things to make the situation ‘fun’
▪ Be assertive about saying when you aren’t enjoying yourself anymore
▪ Be assertive about sticking to your limits and what you will and will not do
▪ Just leave! You’ll thank yourself later.
Know your limits and respect other people’s limits
▪ Do not pressure other people to go beyond their limits
▪ A friend may like to party without drinking. Respect what he/she wants/doesn’t want
▪ What is enjoyable for one may not be for another. Talk to your friends about what you want to do and understand what they want/intend to do
▪ Balance having fun with schooling, family, self-improvement, etc.
Having priorities is key!
▪ Hanging with friends is no fun if you are putting off studying for an exam. Study first, and then have fun. It’ll alleviate your worry about your exam!
▪ Taking risks for enjoyment yields low benefits in the short term and many complications in the long term
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Go out with people who share similar limits and understanding of fun as you do.
2. Set a time limit or curfew for yourself for when to return home when you go out with friends.
3. Plan a creative party with your friends that doesn’t involve alcohol or chat, or other substances.
Episode 43: Timihirt Maquaret (Quitting and Giving up)
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To encourage young people to set goals and pursue their dreams
▪ To make young people understand that failure is part of a learning process and not one’s destiny
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ Every challenge has a beginning and an end
▪ You need to have patience and diligence to achieve your goals
▪ Working hard pays off
▪ Once a person gives up on something, its difficult to start again
▪ Giving up on your goals will become a habit if you continue to quit
Do:
▪ Do not give up on your pursuits and goals
▪ Develop endurance and perseverance to stick to one’s goals
▪ Plan well to complete the things you have already started
▪ Surround yourself with people who support you to set and achieve your goals
Feel:
▪ Able to achieve their goals despite any challenges
▪ That they can work hard to produce positive results
▪ They can achieve their dreams
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
▪ Several young people have dreams but they don’t have patience to stick to their goals. At the end of the day, because they give up on reaching their goals, many young people end up not liking the person they’ve become.
▪ Everyone (not only young people) does not have enough relevant information and guidance on how to plan for and achieve their goals.
▪ Many young people provide external reasons for why they give up on their goals. Often the problems aren’t being solved because of an internal lack of a commitment to address these issues.
CONTENT
What is your dream and how can you achieve it?
▪ Know that every challenge will end if you have patience and tackle it
▪ Visualize your goals, write them down, and keep them in a safe place
▪ Develop the little steps you will need to achieve each of your goals
▪ Remind yourself that each step will take you closer toward reaching that goal
▪ Maintain a “I can do it!" attitude
▪ Be ready for obstacles in your way and be prepared to tackle them
▪ Listen to and learn from people who achieved their goals through hard work and careful planning
▪ Failure is a not your fate. It is a learning process. Embrace it and change it into success.
Steps of change
Causes for quitting
▪ Frustration
▪ Loneliness
▪ Stress
▪ Excuses
Consequences of quitting
▪ Once a person gives up on something, it is difficult to start again
▪ Giving up on your goals will become a habit if you continue to quit
▪ You will be disappointed and angry with yourself
Recovering from quitting
▪ Pick yourself up and start again! It’s never too late to start again
▪ Learn from your failure and keep moving
▪ Surround yourself with helpful and supportive people that will help you with advice, positivity, real talk, and energy when you need it
Identifying the different types of quitting
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Begin a journal of your goals and dreams
2. Identify the steps to each of your goals
3. Ask a friend you trust to keep you on track with achieving one of your goals
4. Make a Challenge Pact with a trusted friend to support each other to achieve one goal per each school semester
5. Congratulate yourself with a little present every time you finish a step in your one of your goals
Episode 44: Tesfa Mequrett/Hopelessness
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To make young people understand that success doesn’t come easy
▪ To encourage young people to forgo hopelessness and strive to stay hopeful about their lives
▪ To highlight what one can lose by being hopeless and what one can gain by being hopeful
▪ To show that being hopeless can cause one’s life to continue in a vicious cycle
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ What they can lose when they become hopeless
▪ What they can gain when they are hopeful
▪ What contributes to feeling hopeless
▪ That success is a process that may sometimes take longer than expected
Do:
▪ Plan to try harder to achieve what they want
▪ Look to other people they trust for support, advice, and encouragement
Feel:
▪ Hopeful about their future
▪ Confident about their ability to stay hopeful
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Many young people drop out of school due to hopelessness about their future and their life. This sense of hopelessness affects how they deal with the many challenges they face in attaining their goals. Some young people deal with their hopelessness, unhappiness and sorrow by throwing themselves into substance drug and alcohol abuse and/or other unhealthy and harmful behaviors.
CONTENT
What contributes to hopelessness?
▪ Having a difficult time with schooling
▪ Excessively high expectations and pressure from parents and guardians
▪ Feeling like a constant failure
▪ Death of a family member or loved ones
▪ Parents having problems in their relationship
▪ Having no or a low income
▪ Lack of role models or inspirational people
▪ Getting married before you are mentally and physically ready
What do you lose if you are hopeless?
▪ Your motivation to achieve what you want
▪ Your momentum of moving forward in life
▪ Positive attitude and energy
▪ Your ability and desire to be around your friends or other people
▪ Your will to keep pushing forward and improve yourself
What do you gain when you try to remain hopeful?
▪ Confidence in yourself
▪ Other people’s confidence in you
▪ Learning from your mistakes and challenges. Ups and downs are a part of life; what matters most is what we learn from our failures and successes.
▪ Your momentum of moving forward in life
▪ Knowledge and pride in yourself that you have the strength to beat the odds and help others
How can one work towards keeping him/herself hopeful about their life and future?
▪ Do things that are healthy and good for you and that make you and others happy.
▪ Stay positive. If you are negative, you feed the vicious cycle of negativity, cynicism, and hopelessness.
▪ Pick yourself up and try again! Have the courage to try to do things again and again. Practice makes perfect!
▪ Talk to someone! Find someone you trust and use them as a sounding board.
▪ Talk to someone who you know is feeling hopeless and try to help and advise him or her.
▪ Get together with other young people and plan to do something productive about your situation.
▪ Enjoy your time with people. Being alone doesn’t help that feeling of hopelessness.
▪ Like attracts like. Being hopeful brings and keeps good energy and helpful people around you.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Talk to people that are successful and are a positive influence in your life.
2. With your friends, form a group that is dedicated to remaining positive about life and supporting each other by conducting helpful activities, thinking creatively, and sharing resources.
Episode 45: Self-determination
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To show young people that having goals are an important part of having control over one’s life.
▪ To demonstrate that planning and obtaining your goals contributes to their healthy self-esteem.
▪ To show young people that the process of achieving the goal is as important as accomplishing the goal.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ What self-determination means
▪ Obstacles can be over come with patience and hard work
▪ That success demands courage and establishing goals to direct the course of your life
Do:
▪ Evaluate their options and make
▪ Set goals based on their options
▪ Work on achieving their goals
Feel:
▪ Confident in their ability to control the path of their own lives
▪ Aware of the power they have over their own lives through the decisions that they make
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Self-determination is how a person controls or directs his or her own life. Many young people feel that they do not have control over there own lives and therefore don’t accept responsibility for the course of their life. This in turn leads them to let others heavily influence them into risky and unhealthy activity as well as distract them from their education and life goals.
CONTENT
What is self-determination?
▪ Self-determination is about making your own choices, learning to effectively solve problems, and taking control and responsibility for your life
▪ Practicing self-determination also means dealing with the consequences of making choices
▪ It involves many attitudes such as self-awareness, creativity, patience and pride
▪ It also involves abilities such as problem solving, assertiveness, and how to represent yourself, ideas, and interests
Reasons for loosing self-determination
▪ Lack of self confidence
▪ Loss of motivation
▪ Pressure from peers to put your energy into unproductive things
▪ Not having enough resources to put your goals into motion
▪ Dealing with the outcome of the divorce of one’s parents
▪ Lack of support from friends and family
How does one maintain self-determination?
▪ Develop goals that are realistic. With time, effort and patience, you stand a reasonably good chance of accomplishing them.
▪ Turn goals into smaller steps or tasks so that they you can feel that you are accomplishing something along the way to the goal.
▪ Have a plan to complete the tasks for the goal. Write it down!
▪ Follow your plan but be flexible as things change and obstacles may come up that you didn’t plan for.
▪ Reward yourself along the way when the goal, or parts of the goal have been accomplished.
▪ Be responsible for the decisions you make and the outcomes of those decisions
What are the consequences of failing at self-determination?
▪ If you don’t have any goals then you have less control over what happens in your life
▪ Poor academic and job performance
▪ Problems with friendships and romantic relationships
▪ Stress, loneliness, and increased likelihood of depression
▪ It can lead to increased vulnerability to drug and alcohol abuse
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Develop a ‘life map.’ On a large piece of paper or in your journal, draw a circle in the middle of a page that represents you. Outside the circle, write down all the goals you have for yourself over the next five years. Draw lines to each of the goals from the circle. Write along the line, all the different steps you’ll need to reach that goal. Use this diagram to help keep your ideas organized and prioritized.
Episode 46: Divorce and its Consequences
Theme: Parent Child communication
PURPOSE:
Primary audience (young people):
▪ To help young people whose parents are/have divorced to manage life after the divorce
▪ To help young people improve communication between them and their divorced parents
Secondary audience (Parents):
▪ To encourage parents to minimize conflict and hostility between each other after the divorce
▪ To demonstrate the responsibility of single parents to children after divorce
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ How divorce affects children
▪ That divorce is never the fault of the children
▪ The importance of maintaining stability and structure to help young people cope with the divorce of their parents
▪ That parents should put the general wellbeing of their children above all disagreements and quarrels
Do:
▪ Young people will work harder to communicate better with parents since the parents are undergoing a difficult time in their lives
▪ Parents will discuss with children how they will overcome this stressful time and manage their feelings
▪ Both parents will continue to participate in the day-to-day lives of their children
Feel:
▪ Young people will feel confident that can interact with their parents during this difficult time
▪ Young people will feel motivated to better understand what their parents are going through
▪ Both parents will feel motivated to fulfill their responsibilities towards their children
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Young people are amazingly resilient but a major change like a divorce affects them in different ways. Divorce generally puts young people at greater risk for many kinds of problems. Parents tend to neglect the problems of their children during divorce because they are overwhelmed by their own relationship problems. Sometimes, young people are even excluded by the new family that has formed or even kicked out of the house.
CONTENT
What is divorce?
Divorce is the ending of a marriage by an official decision in a court of law. When parents go through a divorce for one reason or another, their children are the directly affected by it.
What are the affects of divorce on children/young people?
▪ Parents are so wrapped up in their problems that they often forget about the children’s needs and leave them to be fend for themselves
▪ Parents may try to compensate for the situation or absence with gifts or money
▪ The slighted parent may reject their children's affection
▪ The children may think that they are the reason why the divorce happened
▪ Parents share too many or not enough details about the divorce
▪ One parent may use their children against the other by withholding visitation rights
▪ Single parents may think he/she can avoid his/her responsibilities with raising their children
What are the consequences of this behavior?
▪ Young people lose confidence in themselves
▪ Young people have distorted ideas about marriage, love and parenting
▪ Young people act out in school which affects their education
▪ Young people try to get their parents attention by engaging in risky behavior
▪ Parents lose sight of their children and their children may shut them out of their lives
▪ Fear of abandonment: children fear that if they have lost one parent, they may lose the other. They may blame themselves, feel unlovable or not feel safe
▪ Hostility between parents: arguments and tension between parents may make children feel guilty, angry, and alone
How can parents and young people develop a beneficial environment after a divorce?
▪ By paying close attention to the young person’s welfare, parents can help young people to cope with the divorce in healthy ways
▪ Parents and their children must engage in open, honest, caring, healthy and ongoing communication during and after divorce
▪ Parents who are going through divorce often believe that shielding children from the stress of the situation is in the children’s best interest. Instead of protection, they need support and reassurance during this temporarily stressful time
▪ Both parents also should make attempts to ensure that their children’s environment is structured and organized
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Seek out a support network (family, friends, professional, or other people in your situation).
2. Talk with your children to see how they are dealing with the new situation.
3. Reassure them of your love for them and create structure in their lives that they can rely on.
4. Young people should check in with both parents often to see how they are dealing with the new situation.
Episode 47: YOU Reap What You Sow
Theme: Life Skills
PURPOSE:
▪ To encourage young people to imagine the outcomes of each decisions before they make them and weigh the consequences
▪ To show young people that they will always have to face the consequences of every action
▪ To encourage young people to use their knowledge in any and all actions they take
▪ To motivate young people to accept responsibility for the choices they make
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Know:
▪ How to judge the future consequences of their current actions and the actions of others
▪ The consequences of careless and irresponsible action
▪ That they will get in life what they put into life
▪ That short term gains can ruin long term goals
Do:
▪ Be more careful and cautious about how they make their decisions
▪ Evaluate short term gains to see if they will disrupt their long term goals
Feel:
▪ Confident enough to make responsible, informed, and well thought out choices
▪ Self-assured and in control of their decision making
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Young people often feel overwhelmed by outside influences and struggle to make good decisions. Also, although they may have the necessary knowledge to make decisions, they often make spur of the moment decisions that end up affecting their lives negatively. Many young people do not weigh the cost of instant gratification or short-term gains against long-term consequences. This, in turn, can lead to harmful outcomes for their goals, health, education and overall happiness. Many young people also complain about their circumstances instead of taking responsibility for their actions.
CONTENT
You always reap what you sow
▪ On one hand, parents and teachers warn of the dangers of early and unsafe sex, adolescent pregnancy, STIs such as HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse. On the other hand, media messages and peer pressure contradict those messages. Young people often anticipate the short gratification they think will result from media messages and peer pressure.
▪ They often do not focus on the fact that every action has a reaction or a consequence.
▪ These consequences can be positive or negative based on the decisions they make (If you decide to have sex without using condoms, you could end up being a parent while you’re still in high school)
What’s so wrong with instant gratification from short-term gains vs. achieving long-term goals?
▪ Short-term gains are outcomes that we get from doing something impulsively.
▪ In ‘spur of the moment’ decisions, sometimes we value these gains more than we value taking the time to achieve a long-term goal.
▪ If we do not make careful, well thought out decisions, we might fail in achieving our long-term goals in favor of harmful short-term gains. For example:
o Deciding to have a sugar daddy/mommy for money will sacrifice one’s long-term goal of good health
o Deciding to party hard instead of studying will sacrifice the success of one’s professional career
Consequences of spur of the moment and careless action
▪ Failure at school
▪ Bad decisions about sex that can lead to increased risk for STIs/HIV
▪ Being a parent at a young age with no support
▪ Getting into trouble with the police
▪ Problems interacting with your family
Being cautious and smart and taking responsibility
▪ Analyze how your values and the values of people around you influence your decisions
▪ Weigh the short-term and long-term outcomes of the options and choices you have before you make a decision
▪ Decide cautiously and wisely! Only you are responsible for your actions and you must face the consequences of your decisions
▪ Proverb – if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. How you deal with what happens to you in life will affect how life happens to you.
TINY LITTLE STEPS
1. Write down all kinds of decisions past and present which have affected your life. Divide them into three lists:
▪ Decisions that have been made for me (past)
▪ Decisions I have made for myself (now)
▪ Decisions I will have to make in the future
2. After making these lists, think about these decisions and how they have affected or are affecting your life.
3. Reflect on your past actions and describe the experience in writing. Analyze why things happened they way they did. Write down if you are unhappy with the outcome. Write out a plan for a future similar situation and include decisions that you would happier with.
-----------------------
[1] 2004 HIV/AIDS Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BSS)
[2] 2005 HIV/AIDS BSS
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Witte, 2000 Addressing Underlying Mechanisms to HIV/AIDS Preventive Behaviors in Ethiopia. International Quarterly of Community Health Education
[6] UNESCO definition adopted at the 1982 Mexico City MONDIACULT World Conference.
[7] Dagu Team – In case you haven’t already heard it, thought you’d be interested in checking out this song for this episode: . The band is the Noisettes and the original song is found here: . I personally like the music of the remix. (
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