In the urban poor communities of Metro Manila, out-of-school youth face numerous challenges and lack of opportunities. Many are forced to drop out of school to work and support their families. Living in poverty and without access to quality education, including comprehensive sexuality education, these out-of-school youth are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, experience unplanned pregnancies, and contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
To address this critical gap, Samahan ng Mamamayan- Zone One Tondo Organization (SM-ZOTO), a civil society organization dedicated to empowering marginalized communities in Metro Manila, has made comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) a core component of its advocacy.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2021, SM-ZOTO, with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and its development partners, launched a CSE programme that targets out-of-school youth, especially those engaging in risky sexual behaviors.
In 2021, amidst the community lockdowns, SM-ZOTO and UNFPA implemented “BESHIE learning sessions for vulnerable adolescent girls” a cash and voucher assistance for adolescent girls from selected urban poor communities who are considered at risk of STI and HIV. This programme involved online and in-person learning sessions on family planning, STIs and HIV, mental health and psychosocial support, human rights, and prevention of gender-based violence for adolescent girls, including transgender girls, aged 15-19 years old in Malabon City and Navotas City, with participation as a condition for receiving cash assistance.
When asked why the organization has integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) lessons in their advocacy, SM-ZOTO Executive Director Butch Ablir explained that the organization’s framework of development is centered on “Pagbubuo at Muling Pagbubuo ng mga Buhay, Mula sa Barong-barong Tungo sa Malalakas na Komunidad” (Building and Rebuilding Lives, From Shanties to Empowered Communities). He further explained that SRHR, especially comprehensive sexual education, plays a crucial role in achieving their goal as it helps empower individuals by helping them make informed choices which lead to better health outcomes.
Recognizing the diverse needs of the adolescents belonging to the out-of-school population, SM-ZOTO ensured that the facilitators' applied teaching methods that were easy to comprehend by the participants.
"In a school setting, you have a specific level of learners. However, with out-of-school youth, there isn’t a specific level, so the teaching method has to be different,” Butch explained. To address the need for a tailored approach, the CSE modules used Filipino language and common words. The technical terms were only introduced after the learners have grasped the basic concepts.
Another factor that made the sessions not only easy to understand but also fun and engaging for the learners were the innovative and interactive activities. The facilitators employed games, singing and acting exercises, and props during their sessions which allowed the learners to have fun while learning. These interactive activities allowed the learners to freely open up about their concerns and experiences as they got more comfortable throughout the sessions.
The programme ran for four months, with sixteen weekly, three-hour sessions conducted by SM-ZOTO staff and volunteers.
Butch further shared that both the participants and facilitators were able to benefit from the programme. “The participants and facilitators have come to realize, ‘We have rights and we can still continue to live.’ They now know that they can avoid it (risky sexual behaviors)," he shared. As a result, at the end of the programme, all 50 participants voluntarily accessed STI and HIV services.
The learning sessions helped empower the out-of-school youth participants to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health, contributing to SM-ZOTO and UNFPA’s shared vision of a healthier future generation.
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by Aprille Maxine Villaceran
