Outreaches through School-Based Campaigns to Boost Adolescent Presence at the AFHSCs

Outreaches through School-Based Campaigns to Boost Adolescent Presence at the AFHSCs

“We did not know this essential information all together before. I found the song very interesting and we are able to know all of our health related information collectively.”
-a student from Pukur Per Ideal High School, Rajshahi; during the school campaign.

SERAC-Bangladesh has initiated the “Knowledge SUCCESS” project supported by USAID to create audiovisual materials on family planning and SRH awareness for adolescents contextualizing ballad songs in five regional dialects ((Mymensingh, Barishal, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Chattogram) of the country with the coordination of the Directorate General of Family Planning. As part of the program activity, ‘School-based Campaigns’ have been conducted at 10 schools of these 5 divisions from 6-10 March, 2024.

During the campaigns, the local volunteers of SERAC-Bangladesh encouraged students to visit the adolescent friendly health centers nearby for any of their physical-mental health issues and reproductive health related challenges during their teenage years. SERAC-Bangladesh developed the ballad songs (draft) for each division, which were screened in the campaigns. Afterwards, the students found these campaigns more engaging with a series of quizzes that answered segments based on the key information viewed in the contents. Followed by collecting the answer sheets, 5 appreciation gifts and SBCC-IEC materials were handed over to them.

Mr. Kazi Mahfuzul Karim, Deputy Director of Mymensingh Family Planning Office and Mr. Mahadi Hasan, Upazila Family Planning Officer of Mymensingh Sadar were present in a campaign happening at Kumar Upendra Bidyapith High School, in Kalibari Road, Mymensingh Sadar. They were very glad by witnessing the excitement of the students and how they accepted the SRHR information in the local content ‘Paalagan’. Moreover, The Deputy Director of Barishal Family Planning Office Mr. Niazur Rahman was present in the campaign organized at Barisal Collectorate School and College, in Band Road, Barisal Sadar (Kotwali), Barisal. He described elaborately to the students about the information presented in the local content ‘Jaarigan’. He also urged the teachers to open up to talk about the physical-mental changes of the students and guide them for reaching the adolescent friendly health centers for any inconvenience.

The other 8 schools of this 5 districts including- Sabera Khatun Girls’ High School, Nobogram Road, Barisal; Kalkakoli High School, Double Mooring, Chattogram; Bangladesh Railway Station Colony High School, Station Road Gpo Chattogram Kotwali, Chattogram; Pathgudam Girl’s High School, Pathgudam, Mymensingh; Pukur Per Ideal High School, Nator, Rajshahi; Rajshahi Islami Education & Research Model School, Rasomporty, Rajshahi; Shimantik Ideal School and College, Uposhohor, Sylhet; Al Madina International School & College, Nobab Road, Sheikh Ghat, Sylhet where 500+ students participated in the campaign along with SERAC-Bangladesh’s local team.

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