Men2Men:Developing a Participatory SBCC Toolkit for Engaging Men and Boys as partners in addressing Gender Based Violence and SRHR issues facing child brides
October 10, 2018
Developing a Participatory SBCC Toolkit for Engaging Men and Boys as partners in addressing Gender Based Violence and SRHR issues facing child brides was the name and aim of this project being implemented by ROOTS and Bridges of Hope Training. The project kicked off to a great start in Bindura South District. Involvement of facilitators and community members in the toolkit development has shown positive results that are pointing towards greater ownership of the Bridges project by the community. The project managed to identify and recruit community facilitators (including young men and women) who are influencers in their wards making it easier for community mobilisation and acceptance of the project in the communities. The use of sports proved to be a useful strategy to engage men as partners in ending GBV faced by girls in child marriage. The traditional chief was one of the trainee facilitators as he showed personal commitment to address GBV. An immediate result of the training was that 3 of the trained male facilitators shared that they used to perpetrate GBV in their homes and shared that the training was a “eye opener’ and they committed to end this social injustice. ROOTS also carried out a baseline study that will inform project implementation. The following were the major activities: Pre-test and refine “BRIDGES” Pilot Package, Baseline Study and training of Community Mobilizers in a 5-day workshop1. Pre-test and refine “BRIDGES” Pilot Package
Having developed a pilot toolkit Peter Labouchere joined the ROOTS team of 4 highly experienced male facilitators, ROOTS representatives, and a local artist for 4 days (13-18 July) to pre-test, develop and refine the pilot toolkit and ensure that the activities, materials and visual images are appropriately adapted. The following were the major activities:Pre-test and refine “BRIDGES” Pilot Package, a baseline Study and finally training of Community Mobilizers in a 5-day workshop. ROOTS and Bridges of Hope Training jointly organised a 5-day workshop programme at Arcadia Dam near Bindura, to train 30 Community Mobilizers from that district to use the revised ‘August 2018 Trial Edition’ of the BRIDGES toolkit most effectively and adapt it to suit different contexts and target groups. The Bridges of Hope Training produced 35 complete training kits. Each of the 30 Community Mobilizers who completed the program received a complete Bridges toolkit.
Altogether this phase of the project was a resounding successs.
