CHILDLINK Inc. with support from the British High Commission is pressing ahead with a seven-month programme aimed at building the capacity of youths and students in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) to prevent and break the cycle of gender-based violence against girls.The programme which will run until February 2016 aims to achieve its objectives by having them address issues related to gender discrimination, sexual and reproductive health, suicide, communication, conflicts, anger management and male/female relationships in schools.
Project Officer Javed Ishmael said that the programme has targeted 1,000 youths between the ages of 12 to 17 years and 50 caregivers including teachers, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) executives, schools welfare officers and parents.
The youthful participants are from three secondary schools: Bush Lot Secondary, Fort Wellington Secondary and No.8 Secondary, all in Berbice.
“We also have two counsellors on the project who are placed at the schools fulltime on different days,” he said.
To date 30 students, selected from Forms 2 and 3, have been trained as Youth Advocates/Mentors (YAMs).
Students from these forms were chosen since they are likely to remain in the schools for at least another two to three years and thereby help to strengthen the sustainability of the initiative.
Some teachers have been trained already and training with the PTA executives and out-of- school youths is slated to begin this month.
Child Link Inc. is a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), established in 2009, and its mandate is to work with its partners towards a Guyanese society where every child has the right to grow up in a safe and secure family and community.
By Clifford Stanley