The Association for Education and Family Care (AEFC) offers education about sexually transmitted diseases and drug abuse to elementary school children in Gjakova. The workshops provide crucial information in the absence of official curricula on these issues in Kosovo’s schools.
In an effort to make learning fun, AEFC organized a quiz at Fehmi Agani elementary school on Mar. 15 with pupils from Mazllom Këpuska and Fehmi Agani elementary schools. They competed enthusiastically, answering questions about HIV/AIDS and drugs. Both competing sides successfully answered all questions correctly. Therefore everyone won in the end. After the quiz, pupils and teachers shared more information.
“It is painful when we have the possibility to protect ourselves from these diseases, but we do not because we lack information about diseases,” said Meri Komoni, a pupil. “In the end, a life can be lost because of this.”
On Mar. 21, AEFC organized a roundtable with officers from the municipal Department of Education, school directors and representatives from the Family Health Centre. AEFC compiled a strategy, recommending the inclusion of sexual education as a subject in the school curricula in Gjakova.
“Our next target will be mothers,” said Bahrije Deva Vehapi who leads the initiative. “We will engage mothers and children towards overcoming communication barriers, so that they feel free to talk about these issues.”
     Considering that young women participating in KWN’s Young Women’s Empowerment Initiative have identified communication between parents and youth as a key challenge, AEFC’s initiative is helping to address youth’s concerns. AEFC has received support from the Kosovo Women’s Fund, supported by KtK and ADA.