UNICEF has declared the theme for the 2019 International Day of the Girl to be ‘Girlforce: Unscripted and Unstoppable’. On a day intended to celebrate achievements made by girls around the world in their fight to have their voices heard and their rights respected, Help Lesotho’s ‘GIRL4ce’ program could not be a better fit to exemplify on this occasion.
Four years ago, Help Lesotho collaborated with a group of 25 youth from rural communities. The youth were challenged to create an edu-tainment program (an educational program delivered through various means of entertainment) to raise awareness about two of the biggest issues facing girls in Lesotho (and in many low-income countries around the world) – gender-based violence and child-early-and-forced marriage. Both of these practices rob girls of their futures by taking away their decision making power (girls are often forced to abandon their education and dreams of employment), harming their health (e.g. early pregnancy and HIV-transmission), and perpetuating the cycle of violence and poverty.
With great deliberation and extraordinary passion, the youth were soon ready to start performing their edu-tainment program aptly called ‘GIRL4ce’. The group wrote powerful songs, moving poems and a drama that quickly became their signature performance. This drama takes the audience on a journey that follows a young high school girl who is forced to quit school to marry a man of her parents’ choosing. The performers end the drama by revisiting all the roles represented in the play and what they could have done differently to act responsibly to protect the young girl. Her teacher could have spoken up. Her parents could have valued her education and her opinions. The young man could have found a woman who wanted to be with him. Community members could have defended the girl’s right to refuse early marriage. Although funny at times, by the end almost all audience members are brought to tears. For far too many people, the drama hits very close to home.
One young man, Mokoena, who is a GIRL4ce performer said,
“I joined the GIRL4ce movement and it totally changed my mindset towards women and girls. I started being proud to stand against the violence they face and be an advocate to proudly speak for their rights and support them in raising their voices. I learned that everyone who sees an abuse but fail to report is an abuser too.”
GIRL4ce has performed for over 15,000 students, villagers and government members. Its members remain passionate about using their performances to raise awareness about these important issues in rural Lesotho communities. GIRL4ce is delivering messages that literally save the lives and futures of hundreds of vulnerable girls – to community members who are largely unaware that normalizing these practices causes such harm. Performances and discussions they lead to afterward squarely place the responsibility to stop these practices on individuals and communities themselves. The take-home message is clear – if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!
GIRL4ce is indeed a Girlforce, and they are unstoppable!
In December 2018, Help Lesotho’s Hlotse Centre was bursting at the seams as over 150 campers flocked to the Centre to learn life-saving information, make friends and experience ‘home’ with their Help Lesotho family at Leadership Camp.
Help Lesotho’s Leadership Camp holds some of the best memories of my life!
– Puleng Motsitsi, Camp participant
Camp is a life-transforming experience for the children in Help Lesotho’s Child Sponsorship Program. Attending Camp is considered a privilege. Participants come to their first camp as shy, nervous and curious students and leave as knowledgeable, motivated, and confident young leaders. Camp inspires children to overcome challenges and make a difference in their communities. More than 4,000 students have participated in Camp, many attending several years in a row. The impact of the camp is multiplied in all those with whom campers share the information.
The campers get to let loose and play group games like beanbag toss.
Learning Life Skills
Leadership Camp empowers vulnerable young people to live healthy lives and become agents of change within their communities. They spend their days doing arts and crafts, eating healthy meals, playing sports and attending education life skills sessions. This year, the topics covered included: Decision-Making, Goal-Setting, HIV Prevention, Self-Esteem, Gender Stereotypes, Gender Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health.
After attending an educational session on making healthy choices, 94% of campers reported they learned how to make healthy choices.
In a session called Risky Behaviours, the campers discussed actions that can lead to contracting HIV, such as unprotected sex, sugar daddies and mommies, and peer pressure. As a result, the campers reported having a better of understanding of how to protect themselves from HIV. Before the session 59% of campers disagreed with the statement: you cannot get HIV the first time you have sex. After the session, this statistic rose to 91% of campers.
There are many common misconceptions about HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. For example, the implication that girls who carry condoms want sex all the time was answered by the fact that it is out of caution and respect for themselves because anything can happen to them due to rampant gender based violence. One of the common myths in Lesotho is that HIV can be cured. This is due to a number of factors such as religious beliefs (where some priests claim that they can pray for someone who is HIV+ to be cured), traditional doctors who claim that their herbs can cure HIV and that there are still people who do not understand that ARVs do not cure HIV/AIDS among others. Prior to the session 79% of campers agreed with the statement: there is no cure for HIV, while after the session this was increased to 94%.
Help Lesotho staff created a safe space, complete with candlelight, for the campers to discuss their feelings about their lives and being part of the Child Sponsorship Program (CSP).
If I had not been part of the CSP, I would either be a street kid, married or working odd jobs just to make ends meet.
Thabo Letang, Leadership Camp Participant
Standing Up Against Gender Based Violence
The campers learned about the gender stereotypes and gender based violence prevalent in Basotho culture, through games, discussions and skits. They learned they have a role in preventing violence against women and by the end of camp 94% of campers agreed with this statement, whereas prior to the sessions only 77% of campers agreed.
“My take-home was that I had to be a defender of women’s rights and not an oppressor.”
Renang Lethoko, Leadership Camp Participant
Gender Equity By the Numbers
95% of campers disagree that domestic work is a woman’s responsibility, not a man’s, compared to 61% prior to camp.
91% of campers agree that in Lesotho, it is against the law to beat your wife, as opposed to 74% before attending the educational camp sessions.
Palesa Goes to Camp Video Series
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to attend one of our Leadership Camps? Help Lesotho intern, Palesa, attended camp and made a video series to show what’s like to be a Help Lesotho camper. You can watch Palesa Goes to Camp here.
Leadership Camp provides psychosocial support, discussion and life skills training on key challenges facing these teenagers.
Camp is a unique break from the incredible pressures in their lives. It allows them time and support to experience new ideas and coping strategies in an atmosphere of trust and respect. Trained Help Lesotho interns act as local role models in leadership roles. The reiterative nature of the content allows these experiences to be deeply processed and applied to their lives. All content stressed the value of HIV prevention, treatment and testing and gender equity. All campers have a chance to test on site.
Watch Palesa attend training sessions at camp:
For those who are lucky enough to return year-after-year, they build friendships and continuity of support. Participants are expected to share what they learn with their schools and families when they return to their home, schools and communities.
All these campers are Help Lesotho’s sponsored children and their lives are changing. Watch as Palesa interviews our campers.
The Child Sponsorship Program is a combination of financial support for formal education and psychosocial support to help children grow up. Funding school fees demonstrates to each child that someone knows who they are, believes in them and will support them so they are no longer alone. Students are accountable to Help Lesotho to work hard, and they are also able to access greater support when challenges arise.
Help Lesotho’s Child Sponsorship Program matches sponsors with students who are unable to pursue their high school education. Sponsors are encouraged to commit to sponsorship for the duration of their sponsored child’s high school education (5-6 years).
Give a child in Lesotho a chance at a better future.
