Ethiopia's sexual health education in secondary schools is not comprehensive but confined to covering issues like HIV/AIDS education and life skills. In the past five years, with support from organizations like the World Health Organization, Ethiopian health authorities have developed the National Self-Care Intervention Guideline, focusing on interventions for women, adolescent and child health. They have also integrated self-care and expanded sexual and reproductive health services into key national policy guidelines, including those related to family planning, safe abortion care, teenage pregnancy reduction, and sexual and reproductive health responses in humanitarian settings. However, there remain many gaps where this information is made available. With our partners in Ethiopia, we have identified schools that are interested in this type of sexual health programming.
Students will design culturally contextual, relevant and age-appropriate curriculum for either primary or secondary school students on healthy relationships and sexual health education. They will learn about broad health indicators in Ethiopia, what drives those indicators, and the history of sexual health education in the country. Based on that information, and in collaboration with out Ethiopian partners, they will design sexual health education modules and teach them in primary or secondary schools after testing them out with teachers and administrators in the schools.
This trip truly embodies the heart of Mercer on Mission. We had the opportunity to engage with a rural community, learn from the people who call it home, partner with local experts and village leaders, and serve in ways that truly mattered to them. ... Building those relationships while leaving behind educational tools and resources —nutritional and sexual health education — that could continue to be used after we left meant so much to me. This experience taught me that service is not just about what you do, but how you do it.
Students are required to sign up for six hours of credit. The registrar will enroll you in courses for your program, including one class from each of the program's faculty.
