Camp MAP (Men as Partners)
THEME: WANAUME TUJIUNGE KUDUMISHA USAWA (TRANSLATION: MEN JOIN TO ENCOURAGE EQUITY)
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a Peace Corps-organized Camp MAP. Camp MAP was facilitated by U.S. volunteers who stay in various counties around Kenya. The camp was held at Nanyuki Lion Court Hotel. Camp MAP lasted one week, from Monday, April 28th to Sunday, May 4. I attended the camp as a counterpart to the Peace Corps volunteer currently working with HopeCore, Ed. With us were four boys who we selected to attend the camp. The boys were selected from a pool of 20 applicants. These four boys came from schools in the Chogoria zone and were ages 9, 14, and 17.
The approximate number of boys in the camp was around sixty, including boys from many other parts of the country. The objective of the camp was to empower the boys to become people who will take responsibility in society. In this camp, the age of the boys was from nine to seventeen. The week was busy because the lessons were already prepared, e.g., HIV/ AIDS, STIs, self-esteem, drugs, goal setting, reproductive health, healthy relationship, conflict resolution, and how to use condoms. In addition to the lessons, games like football and physical exercises were incorporated into the week. Additionally, in the evenings we had the opportunity to relax and watch movies as a group.
I was happy to be in the camp because I was happy to see the boys receive empowerment from teachers. My favorite part of the camp is when I saw the boys receiving the information on how to use condoms because they will reduce their risk of being infected by HIV/AIDS. The information given was practical. There were myths around condoms, including that they would burst, but we took part in many activities, such as filling condoms with water and throwing them around, to clear out these myths. We also stretched the condoms over our arms to show how far they could stretch. It was all useful information that led the boys to understand the durability of condoms. There were no challenges in the camp for the whole week.
I taught a lesson on healthy relationships. This was my first time teaching a lesson on healthy relationships, I planned for the lesson during the weeks leading up to the Camp. I used materials provided by my counterpart, Ed, to prepare. I talked about aspects of a healthy relationship like communication, respect, and being true to one another. I prepared questions on health relationships for pupils to find out if they understood the content of the lecture.
Example Question: For example, if we are in a relationship and one member is lying to the other, is it a healthy relationship or not when someone is lying?
The children were very attentive and asked many questions about healthy relationships. I enjoyed teaching the lesson. All Camp participants attended my lecture on healthy relationships. Teaching a lesson on healthy relationships is important because the boys were young. It is vital for them to be taught about healthy relationships because youths are engaging in relationships without being informed. The camp was attended by the deaf and those who can hear, we learned together and played together. They were communicating in sign language, and interpreters were available to facilitate communication. The interpreters were interpreting what was being taught by the teachers and it was well understood by all.
Many boys in the area are at risk for HIV/AIDS, so if we reach them with the same message it can help them to stay healthy. Also, spreading the message of gender equality improves the character of the boys and their relationships with peers. I think it would be a good idea for HopeCore to coordinate a local Camp MAP in Chogoria so that we can reach more boys with the same message.
Written by Martin Murithi, VHI Driver and Community Health Worker