For the past two weeks, girls in all the groups has been involved in composition of songs carrying HIV/AIDS and gender messages,practices traditional dances, drama in preparation to awareness and community mobilisation campaigns. Participating girls continue to show willingness and eager to learn more and discover about themselves and what they are able to do to overcome their problems. The clubs is providing forums where girls are able to discuss and share their experience with regards to sexual abuse, HIV/Aids and their rights. In addition, girls has been making netball trainings in preparation to HIV/Aids prevention Netball tournament scheduled between October-December 2008.
During one of our discussions, I learnt that some of these girls were involved in what they call "love binding", this is where a girl and a boy in a relationship, make a small scratch or graze their skins and make their wounds meet and blood mix (this is like blood covenant). The girls said that this is common amongst their peers and that they believe this helps to strengthern love and commitment to keep a relationship. Girls do this without realising that such practice can expose them to HIV/Aids infection and it was discussed at length that such practice should be discouraged and condemed.
Currently I am designing a leaflet or information sheet to be published in a week or so. I have discovered that these girls are too hungry for this information (which they have been denied for so long).