Talking about the bees and birds in Kiribati

By Karen Allen, UNICEF Pacific Representative

The Kiribati Family Health Association youth group with Karen Allen
UNICEF Pacific Representative and UNICEF Colleague
© UNICEF Pacific/2013/Teannaki

The Kiribati Family Health Association is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation affiliated with the International Planned Parenthood Federation. They are also supported by UNICEF for HIV and AIDS testing, counselling and prevention. After touring the modest but very well organised facilities and meeting some of the 11 service providers, I had great fun watching the peer educators demonstrate their infotainment routines.
Well, at least two were an entertaining song and dance approach to educating young people on abstinence and contraceptive choices and on HIV and AIDS. The other dance routines looked like pure fun! The peer educators go around Tarawa in a small bus and perform for all the local communities. They tell me they always draw a big crowd who enjoy dancing along with them.

"What is the most common question that you get from young people?" I asked them.

"They want to know about preventing pregnancy, because their parents don't want to talk about it." "And what questions do you have for me?" I asked.

"How can we get a better education, vocational training so that we can get jobs?" and "Will people all over the world see the pictures you are taking?"

"Great!"

The Kiribati Family Health Association youth infotainment. © UNICEF Pacific/2013/Teannaki

The Kiribati Family Health Association and UNICEF Pacific collegues watch the infotainment by youths.
© UNICEF Pacific/2013/Teannaki