By Rachel Hanish | Update on NESEI's Work in 2009
This year, NESEI has launched new girls' education and community enrichment programs in Yei, South Sudan. In addition to growing our student sponsorship program, we have developed a student radio debate program, a community movie theater, a public health youth drama program, and a mobile health clinic.
NESEI started a new student-led radio debate program in March. This brings together young women and men from local high schools to discuss topics such as girls' empowerment, community health, and education development. The debates strongly promote girls' leadership within Sudanese communities. In addition, the radio broadcasts increase community education and awareness on important social issues. From the start, this live debate program has been hugely successful in Yei, garnering a large public following. You can learn more by listening to our podcast at http://www.nesei-media.org/Site/NESEIs_Podcasts/NESEIs_Podcasts.html
Also in March, NESEI opened a community movie theater in Yei. Our theater provides family-friendly entertainment, as well as student-created public health "previews" before each film. The previews are developed through a youth drama program. Students write and perform public health-focused skits that are filmed by NESEI staff and turned into previews for the theater. Enthusiastic student participation in this program has shown that community health education can be great fun!
NESEI has launched a mobile health clinic that travels to local schools around Yei. Staffed by skilled community health workers, the clinic provides critical health care and information to students and their families. To reach more people in need, the clinic operates out of a 4WD NESEI vehicle that navigates difficult roadways and dirt paths. In addition to basic medications and first-aid, mosquito nets are also provided to clinic patients. Through clinic internships and service-learning projects, NESEI students will have opportunities to apply health science skills gained through our education programs.
Enjoy viewing the pics below. Here are descriptions of what they show: 1) A debate participant makes last minute notes before going on-air. 2) Children watch Finding Nemo after learning from a public health “preview.” 3) Students raise awareness of violence against women—a critical health and human rights issue in South Sudan. These girls are learning to strengthen their own voices to achieve equality and respect for human rights in South Sudanese society. In addition to exercising leadership in their schools, NESEI students educate the wider Yei community through the radio debates, theater program, and health clinic workshops.
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