Sexual and reproductive health training for young people

“From the very beginning the ‘Que Nota’ project has helped me to relate to many people; my peers, my parents and members of my community. It has helped me to think differently about sex and reproductive health. The project has motivated me to understand my parents, to be more trustworthy and to love them, and I am now also aware that people know that we, youngsters, think very differently from the way they do.” Nelson, 18, from Bambil.

Young people attending workshops

‘Que Nota’ is a project supported by Plan aimed at teaching young people in 28 communities in Ecuador about reproductive health, social and sexual identity.

Within the project young people freely talked about their experience, listened to personal stories, watch educational videos, and presentations. They were then encouraged to examine how they relate to each other, their parents, the opposite sex and the wider community.

They took part in workshops to learn about HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and sexual behaviour and became educators, talking to their peers about what they had learnt.

Community events, including a festival celebrating Sexual and Reproductive Rights, gave the opportunity for the young people and other 500 participants to have fun and learn more about the project.

As part of World Aids Day, ‘A Lesson for Life’ workshop informed families about HIV/AIDS and about the importance of taking care of their sexual and reproductive health.

“The project has helped me a lot, I’m learning how to deal with myself and my self-esteem is becoming stronger. I now feel that I can trust my parents, that they understand me and that I understand them and realise that they are the most important human beings to me. In my community I feel more at ease with the people around me, and am able to communicate better with them”, says Alonso.

“The project is making an important contribution to my personal life; it has helped me with my parents and to trust my problems to them and being self-assured, the importance of reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. My relationship with my family has improved and I now share with them what I learn. I feel surer when speaking of my body. It is a marvellous project where we can say everything that is happening to us as young people”, says Wilmer.

The young people commented on the teachings and materials received during the project and are now involved in adapting them to expand the project to other communities.