Experiences of teachers and community health workers implementing sexuality and life skills education in youth clubs in Zambia

ABSTRACT

Zambia, like other low- and middle-income countries, faces numerous adolescent sexual and reproductive health challenges such as teenage pregnancies. This study aimed at understanding teachers' and community health workers' (CHWs) implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) as part of a comprehensive support package for adolescent girls to prevent early childbearing. Data collected using in-depth interviews [n = 28] with teachers [n = 15] and community health workers [n = 13] were analysed using thematic analysis. The teachers and CHWs reported that the use of participatory approaches and collaboration between them in implementing CSE enabled them to increase girls' and boys' participation youth clubs. However, some teachers and CHWs experienced practical challenges with the manuals because some concepts were difficult to understand and translate into local language. The participants perceived that the youth club increased knowledge on CSE, assertiveness and self-esteem among the learners. Training and providing a detailed teaching manual with participatory approaches for delivering CSE, and collaborative teaching enabled teachers and CHWs to easily communicate sensitive SRH topics to the learners. However, for the adoption of CSE to be even more successful, piloting of the curriculum with local facilitators and translating the manuals into the local languages before they are implemented, is recommended.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual and reproductive health
• life skills training
• Zambia
• comprehensive sexuality

Acknowledgments

We thank the teachers and community health workers who participated in the interviews and shared their experiences. Many thanks Participants Tulani Matenga, Simon Banda and Prof Patrick Musonda for the support they rendered to the study. MPC conceived, designed, conducted interviews, analysed the study and drafted the manuscript, whereas, IFS, JS and JMZ guided the development and implementation of the study and revised and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval and consent

Ethical approval was granted by the University of Zambia Biomedical Ethical Committee.

Data availability statement

The study data can be requested from the author. The anonymised transcripts from the interviews can be made available upon request.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Research Initiative to Support the Empowerment of girls (RISE) and the NORPART-funded project ‘Strengthening Health systems and health care Implementation through Network based graduate training and research Education in Zambia (BERGUNZA-SHINE)’. RISE is funded by the Research Council of Norway through its Centres of Excellence Scheme to the Centre of Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health (CISMAC; project number 223269) and through the Global Health and Vaccination Programme (GLOBVAC; project number 248121).