A higher education project known as TemariNet is working to address HIV and unintended pregnancy in universities and colleges across Ethiopia.
Named after a social networking website run by the Ethiopian College and University Students Network, TemariNet aims to create awareness on these issues among students by instigating communication activities that encourage behaviour change, such as talk shows, debates and ‘edutainment’ (educational entertainment) programmes.
According to Shimeles Gebeyehu, the project coordinator at DKT Ethiopia: “We are targeting this part of the population because those young boys and girls are the future leaders and parents of the nation.”
Students gain new life skills
Funded by UKAID, EKN, UNFPA and Irish AID, the project has been able to reach tens of thousands of students in the country over the past five years. Some 76,000 students and 2,500 university and college staff have been trained on issues like condom use, youth-friendly service delivery and other life skills.
Special female only sessions were held as part of girls’ nights and dorm-to-dorm events, creating an opportunity for girls to gather round to discuss their own issues and share experiences.
“This project has equipped us with the skills and tools to avoid unnecessary risk,” said Yafet from Hawassa University, one of the partner universities working with DKT.
Blen, from Dila University, said: “The unique thing about this project is that it puts us at the centre of every activity. We take part in every step from planning to implementation of the awareness creation programmes on our campuses. We get the opportunity to openly discuss about HIV and condom use.”
Reaching young people wherever they are
TemariNet is one of the major ways that the project is using social media to address public health issues in the university and college community. With a theme of ‘get safe and connected’, it’s a platform where students are free to access both health and academic resources online.
DKT Web developer Yonas Amsalu explained that it is a locally developed social media site targeting students in all higher education institutions. He believes that it has become both a brand and virtual classroom for Ethiopian students to access HIV and reproductive health information, and to engage in dialogue on their own issues.
“TemariNet is now the biggest unique site in Ethiopia which is trying to use social media to reach the youth, with more than 64,000 students who are members,” he said.
A behaviour change impact survey conducted by DKT Ethiopia in 2013 indicates that 16.8 per cent of the respondents in 13 universities were using TemariNet.com.
The ongoing need
Because of the Ethiopian government’s significant expansion of higher education institutions, over half a million young people are currently enrolled in universities and different colleges.
This is a significant portion of the population which will be joining the work force after graduation and addressing the needs of this population will clearly have a beneficial effect on the development of a country which is still struggling to get itself out of poverty.
Shimeles warned that the TemariNet project is nearing an end and that potential donors are needed in order to continue reaching more students.
Gene, an engineering student at Arba Minch University, said: “I was just a girl from a rural area who doesn’t know much about life, or the risks that I am exposed to and how I could prevent myself from complications like unintended pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, and STIs. Thanks to this project I am graduating this year with additional awareness about those issues, with zero problems related to my sexual and reproductive health. I wish my juniors could also have this chance.”
In total the project has been implemented in 28 higher education institutions including public and private universities, and technical and vocational training colleges.
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