The IRC in Atlanta’s Health and Wellness team recently provided 46 young women with teen pregnancy prevention education through a series of engaging virtual workshops.
HIPTeens, developed by Dr. Dianne Morrison-Beedy, is an evidence-based, theoretically driven sexual risk reduction intervention for adolescent girls that enhances knowledge, increases motivation, and teaches behavioral skills needed to reduce pregnancy, HIV and STI risk.
Participants had the opportunity to identify their personal values and future goals, determine their healthy choices for a healthy future, and practice using an assertive statement to strengthen their voice and decision-making process. The HIPTeens program is provided in four sessions online, via Zoom, in small groups of girls with trained group leaders.
Below, four young women share their experience being a HIPTeens student:
HIPTeen students Mputu, Wahina, Kentine, and Alymama. Alymama chose this illustration by Instagram user @art_rawda to represent her as a “loving and caring” person.
Mputu, 17, Zambia
“I liked doing the classes with different girls of all ages. It was good having my sister in the classes because she also needs to learn a lot of things for when she grows up, and it’s the first time she’s learning this stuff. I also shared what I learned with my friends in Zambia because it’s important for them to learn how to protect themselves from getting pregnant. If you continued the classes I would like to learn about dating just telling us what to do, and what not to do.”
Wahina, 12, Indonesia
“I heard about the classes from my older sisters but thought it would be better if I do it with my sisters...because I am nervous about everything. I learned things that I never heard before. I learned about HIV and I also learned about assertive statements. I think it’s important for other girls to also learn about this type of stuff. I use them with my friends at school...If I tell them my reasons, they say ok. It’s important for us to learn this so we know how to protect ourselves, and tell people how we are feeling."
Kentine, 14, Burundi
"My sister joined last year when she was in class. I used to sit by her to listen what they were saying and the things they used to teach her were interesting and they were important to know as a girl. I was 12 or 13 and I didn’t know what she was learning but I heard that they were talking about periods and how to protect yourself from sexual stuff. I came to the class when I was 14 and I learned that there are different types of ways to talk to people, and how to do it without hurting their feelings. I also learned a lot of interesting stuff about periods which I didn’t know before. The only thing I knew about periods was that it came every month. The classes have been really helpful!"
Alymama, 13, Syria
“I really liked the classes, it was pretty fun talking to the kids and teachers, it was awesome. I joined because I wanted to learn more stuff about girls' bodies, and I wanted to learn what other people would do and what things you should do. I've learned how to avoid if someone is trying to interact with me in a way that I don’t like, how to respond to it. I learned how to avoid getting pregnant and how to deal with my period."
When asked about her experience as a HIPTeens student, Alymama also shared that she would tell other girls "everything you learn you will use.”
Below, the creator of HIPTeens shares why she chose to partner with IRC:
Dr. Dianne Morrison-Beedy
"I know that girls are often forgotten when it comes to providing information about sexual and reproductive health, and it's clear because the rates of teen pregnancy, STIs and HIV are so high in that age group. When I looked at the opportunity to work with the IRC and the Health and Wellness team and tailor the needs of the program to refugees, I thought, 'Honestly that is such a huge gap' (...) and IRC led the way in understanding that and recognizing the important contribution that HIPTeens could make to those girls' lives.
"So, for me it was a perfect fit, working with the IRC and committed staff there who really care about what happens to these girls, to their families, to their communities, and that rings true in my heart. The IRC staff is so bright, so committed, so motivated and they care so much for their clients and always put them first and are very protective of them. Just seeing that every day in action with how they implemented HIPTeens, it really confirmed that I had chosen the right partner. Together we made a fabulous team and had a very positive impact on those girls' lives.”
To learn more about the work of the IRC in Atlanta and for information on how you can get involved with the IRC as a donor or volunteer, please contact Senior Development Manager, Kalie Lasiter, at Kalie.Lasiter [at] Rescue.org or 678-636-8941.
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