21st August 2015.
With the new school year back in full flow, our Sex Education team were back in schools in the eastern regency of Klungkung, Bali, to teach about safe sex.
We are hugely proud of our Sex Education Program – the only one of it’s kind that visits schools in every regency in Bali.
Sex is a tricky topic in Bali, There are social taboos where it just isn’t talked about. The national curriculum in Indonesia does not include a comprehensive program on teaching teenagers about sex.
With so little information available, it’s not surprising to find young adults are increasingly suffering from sexual related illnesses, as well as many unplanned pregnancies.
A special focus is on HIV/AIDS awareness, which as mushroomed in Bali over the last few years, with reports suggesting
In April 2013, estimated cases of HIV/AIDS were 7,400 [1]. By December 2014 this figure has increased to 10,371. Officials estimate the real figure could be up to 26,000. [2]
The most at risk individuals have been highlighted as heterosexual males between 20-29.The Australian reports children are “bearing the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Bali”.[3]
Our Sex Education program aims to equip teenagers with the knowledge to avoid diseases and unwanted pregnancies. The idea is simple – engage children in information and they will be able to make their own informed decisions in the future.
Our latest trips brought us to the Klungkung regency, in the east of Bali. It is one of the worst affected regencies in Bali from HIV/AIDS. In Klungkung alone, latest figures showed that 1,800 people have been diagnosed [4] – this was in March 2014, so the real figure could be much more.
The schools visited were:
SMAN I Banjarangkan
SMK YAPA Rindo
SMP 2 Banjarangkan
SMP Dharmayasa
SMP Satap Takmung
You can see the 8 stage process that we use to structure the workshops here.
We were so pleased to be welcomed back to the schools by both teachers and students. As always, the workshops generated immense interest, even from students not in the class, who were peeking through windows and doors. Learning about sex really is an eye opener for these youngsters. The information is brand new, exciting, informative, fun and serious.
Our amazing team, lead by Opi Sulaeman were back in stunning form, taking the students through some riveting and engaging sessions. We’ve picked a few of our favourite photographs that really show how the workshops impact these youngsters.
We were given more encouraging results, with the students all posting significantly increase post test results in sexual awareness and safety.
Our deepest gratitude goes to the Mel Wolf Foundation, who are continuing their support for the program in 2015. We hope 2016 will bring an expanded program with more schools, communities and children impacted. We are writing proposals to hopefully secure the increased funds required.
If you would like to contribute to funding these sessions, please go to our donate page and select ‘Sex Education, HIV & AIDS’.
So far in 2015, we’ve been to five regencies, with another four to go. You can read about them here below;
…and Klungkung.
If you would like to find out more about our work in this area, please see our program page on sex education.
*References
