Among Youth

This project implemented and tested interventions to improve young people's knowledge and practices regarding sexual and reproductive health, and to reduce the prevalence of STIs in this population. The central communication strategy involved training a group of adolescents of both sexes in communication skills with regard to STIs/HIV and family planning. These young people then worked to inform their peers and advocate behavioural changes using educational talks, interpersonal discussions, and youth-produced information, education, and communication (IEC) publications. IRESCO also developed a series of media campaigns. This project is based on the observation that urban youth in Cameroon are knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and the risks of early pregnancy, but their behaviour often fails to reflect their knowledge.

The intervention took place in the Mokolo neighbourhood of Yaoundé; the control site, New Bell, was located in Douala. To begin, IRESCO trained 49 male and female peer educators aged 12-24 in reproductive health (RH) communication strategies and teaching techniques. The peer educators were chosen based on criteria including permanent residency in the Mokolo neighbourhood; willingness and motivation to contribute to the project (with a positive attitude about STIs/HIV prevention and family planning); and ability to communicate well with peers (fluent in French and/or local neighbourhood dialects).

These young men and women then educated their peers about a variety of RH issues including friendship and dating, sexuality, unwanted pregnancy, abortion, STIs/HIV, and prostitution through informal educational talks, one-on-one sessions, conferences and round table discussions. In 2001, each educator organised at least one discussion or event per week in formal (schools) or non-formal (public) venues frequented by youth. They also organised community events including theatrical skits and distributed IEC materials at informational kiosks in school buildings. They sponsored special events including 8 soccer matches between the "Among Youth" team and other youth teams. Educators were able to reach large audiences at these events, at least 600 youth per game, and provided positive messages on adopting healthy lifestyles. The peer educators also facilitated 12 educational film screenings in schools and video clubs followed by discussion sessions. Peer educators were under the direct supervision of 2 communication experts who oversaw all activities.

IRESCO also produced and distributed a magazine edited by and for the population being addressed. "Among Youth" covers a variety of RH themes including HIV/AIDS in schools, living with HIV, mother-to-child transmission, and voluntary testing and counseling. In addition to providing such information, the publication features celebrity interviews. In 2001 the team produced 6 editions of the magazine in both English and French, and disseminated 35,000 copies of the magazine. They produced 3 comic books and distributed 15,000 copies of each, in addition to 10,000 copies each of 4 educational brochures addressing topics including ways to avoid STIs and why youth, in particular, are at risk of contracting STIs.

Youth, Reproductive and Sexual Health.

In the final programme evaluation ("Peer Education as a Strategy to Increase Contraceptive Prevalence and Reduce the Rate of STDs/AIDS among Adolescents in Cameroon" [PDF]), organisers provide the following context for "Among Youth". Cameroon has a population of approximately 16.2 million, of which youth between the ages of 10 and 24 represent 32% of the total. Most RH services in Cameroon focus on women in mother and child health care centres. Only 19% of adolescents under 20 years old use these centres, and among family planning clients the proportion of those under 20 is 7.8%. Yet a survey conducted in Cameroon shows that at age 15, one in four adolescents are sexually active. More than half of all young women (54%) have at least one child by the time they are 20 years old. Another study shows that 28% of pregnancies recorded at the Yaoundé maternity hospital are among adolescent girls, representing 70% of all gynecological complication cases. Modern contraceptive use among single females ages 15-19 is 20%. HIV/AIDS prevalence in the population aged 15-49 in Cameroon is 11.8%. And about 7 in 10 STI cases in the country occur in adolescents under the age of 25, suggesting that youth also make up a disproportionate number of new HIV cases.

The intervention was conducted in Mokolo, one of the most populated neighbourhoods (with 100,000 inhabitants) in Yaoundé, the Cameroonian capital. Mokolo is considered a poor area, rife with crime, sexual promiscuity, and prostitution. Despite its population density, there are few primary or secondary schools in the neighbourhood and few health or cultural facilities available to youth in the area.

IRESCO is scaling up the intervention with support from the World AIDS Foundation and GTZ. They hope to sustain the programme through commercial advertising revenue generated by the Among Youth magazine.