By Fadzayi Maposah (ZNFPC Mash East province)
I am very fortunate that I am a trainer of various reproductive health programmes. I say fortunate because being a trainer has afforded me so many opportunities and exposed me to so much. By virtue of being a trainer, I have travelled to many a place, met and interacted with many people of diverse knowledge, values, norms and cultures. It has enabled me to have an open mind about many issues and that in itself is a great blessing.
I do not take anything for granted because what I may consider normal is not normal in another setting. Exposure is good in that it allows one to see things from another perspective and in turn that makes one less judgemental. I am not perfect but as I always say, I do my best to learn from every situation. I was at a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) training. Some could be cringing as they just read the name of the training.
Allow me to put you at ease by providing some information. Comprehensive sexuality education is defined as an age appropriate, culturally relevant approach to teaching about sex and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, non-judgemental information. CSE provides opportunities to explore one`s own values and attitudes to build decision making skills about the many aspects of sexuality.
That said what CSE does not do is it does not encourage sexual activity, it does not promote promiscuity or demean values and culture. Some participants to CSE trainings come all tensed up and defensive. In the case where they are funded by their employer, they just come with the intention of doing what the employer considers is important for their work. The attitude could be just attend the five-day training and get it over and done with. Others come with an open mind, curious and eager to learn, wondering what is comprehensive about sexuality and why one needs the education. So those two groups end up in the training. One group eager to throw themselves in and learn. The other group just wanting to sit by the pool side and observe. A bit of oil and water…
Now CSE is highly interactive. There is a lot of group work. There is a lot of movement and engagement. Actually as trainers we encourage participants to dress comfortably because though done mainly indoors there is a lot of activity that will take them outside and back. By the end of the week, all the participants at some point will have made a presentation on behalf of their group to the main group. Since the groups keep changing for all participants to get to work with one another, by the time the training is over, one will probably not be sitting down with the same individuals during health breaks. New networks are created.