The NGO ALAFIA has embarked on a bold initiative to put an end to sexual harassment in schools and promote good menstrual hygiene management among young girls. ALAFIA, an organization based in the Togolese city of Lomé, is implementing this project in a number of schools, including the Lycée de Badja and the Lycée d’Assahoun, in 2022, financed by XOESE. ALAFIA aims to create a safe and inclusive educational environment for girls, where they can flourish without fear or stigma. This article explores the objectives, actions and expected impacts of this initiative, which combats gender-based violence and promotes good practices in menstrual hygiene management for young girls.
The project’s specific objectives are to
- Reduce the rate of sexual harassment of young girls in schools
- Keep young girls in school through good menstrual hygiene management.
Why this project?
Sexual harassment in schools is a widespread and worrying problem affecting many young girls around the world. It hinders their access to education, compromises their mental and emotional well-being, and creates barriers to their personal development. Aware of these challenges, the NGO ALAFIA has decided to propose concrete measures in collaboration with school students and teachers to combat this unacceptable reality.
As part of this project, ALAFIA has implemented a series of actions aimed at reducing the rate of sexual harassment in the school environment in each targeted school.
- Training activities for 20 peer educators on gender-based violence.
- A capacity-building program for 12 teachers on gender-based violence.
- Awareness-raising activities for over 1,000 schoolchildren (girls and boys) on gender-based violence.
- And radio broadcasts on GBV.
The aim is to promote a safe and caring school environment.
At the same time, the ALAFIA project has also focused on the proper management of young girls’ menstrual hygiene. For it is alarming to note that many teenage girls face difficulties linked to their menstruation, leading to school absences and a drop in their self-confidence. ALAFIA has worked to improve access to information for girls on the importance of healthy, comfortable menstrual management. Educational workshops have been held, enabling 20 schoolchildren to learn about menstrual hygiene management, raising awareness among more than 1,000 girls and boys, and providing schools with emergency GHM kits.
ALAFIA’s ambitions with this project
By implementing these initiatives, ALAFIA seeks to create an inclusive and safe school environment for young girls, promoting their educational fulfillment without fear of harassment or interruptions due to menstrual hygiene-related issues. The project aims to empower young girls by providing them with the knowledge and tools to address the challenges they face, while raising awareness in the educational community and promoting sustainable social change.
We invite you to watch this captivating video, which is a powerful testimony to the work carried out by the NGO ALAFIA and the schools that deserves to be shared with as many people as possible.
