Togo Girls breaking the silence on HIV

Plan-supported youth clubs help children to speak out on issues affecting their lives.

Nadia has been a member of her local youth club in Togo for the last two years. The youth club which is supported by Plan, provides a forum for young people to come together to discuss issues that affect them.

For Nadia, learning about HIV and gaining the confidence to discuss it openly has opened a new world for her. "Here we’re like a family. We’ve been learning a lot, but I've especially got to know myself better as a girl, how to protect myself from sexually transmitted infections and HIV through abstinence, how to use condoms and how you should stay loyal to your partner in a relationship."

This knowledge and new found confidence has also encouraged Nadia to break taboos with her family and within her community, “In the past speaking about sex was forbidden. As a consequence, my sisters and I didn’t even dare talk about subjects related to sex. But now it’s no longer like that – my parents have changed a lot thanks to meetings they attended with us at the club. Sometimes I ask my father for advice, and we talk about certain subjects related to sex. The knowledge that we’ve gained from the club has made dialogue between me and my parents and my sisters easier."

"I've also become a member of the village development and youth committees. Adults ask me and other members of the youth club to organise discussions with women and girls on topics related to sexuality. The club facilitators have also taught us how to carry out income-generating activities. Knowing about business can help me become an entrepreneur, which is especially important for girls. This means I won’t have to rely on someone else or look for the easy way out, which is often what drives girls into the arms of men."

Nadia's story is replicated throughout the countries Plan works in. Plan has been working with children and young people to encourage them to access their rights and break through the stigma and taboos often surrounding HIV.

World Aids Day 2010

Today, World Aids Day 2010, Plan is calling for global leaders to reinforce their pledge to work towards universal access to HIV treatment, prevention and care, recognising these as fundamental human rights. Valuable progress has been made in increasing access to HIV services, yet greater commitment is needed around the world if the goal of universal access is to be achieved.

About Plan's work with Youth Clubs in Togo

In Togo, Plan worked in partnership with the Togolese Family Planning Association (ATBF) in a project to support youth clubs dedicated to the promotion of sexual health and sexual rights of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. Over a period of three years, over 1,000 young people took part in these youth clubs, which are firmly established in their community.

The Plan Togo experience underlines that sexual health is not just an issue of being informed about reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections. It also requires being in charge of your life and being able to meaningfully contribute to the decisions and the standards that prevail in your family and your community.

Togo has a HIV prevalence rate of 3.3%, one of the highest in West Africa.

Find out more about Plan’s work on HIV/AIDS prevention