Through intensive school visits and information sessions at health centers, MTAA is attempting to reach even more HIV-positive young people.
At schools, sometimes as many as a thousand students are asked to write down their problems at school. Their notes are collected and catalogued, after which MTAA staff discuss the most common topics.
The list of ‘challenges’ reveals serious problems, such as concealed pregnancies, HIV infection, and rape. But more ‘everyday’ sex-related issues – such as a penis that is too large/too small/curved and ‘how to obtain condoms’ – also preoccupy young people. Addictions (smoking, alcohol, drugs), aggression and anger, theft and not enough food complete the list of topics.
MTAA creates Excel sheets of all the issues and provides feedback to the school management, who often have no idea what is going on. At one of the schools visited, 32 girls were found to be pregnant.
Afterwards, the MTAA staff leave their phone numbers, so that anyone who wants to can ask the office for help. Even for something as ‘minor’ as obtaining condoms.
