Boys and girls at the pre-pubescent and pubescent growth stage experience changes they often cannot express freely at home or to their teachers, leading to frustration and making decisions that could be detrimental to their wellbeing. This project was initiated to help provide access to a safe space where they can feel understood, learn and communicate openly with their peers and instructors.
The Safe Space Project is implemented under our Learning Resource Centres (LRC) (that provides public primary school children with access to 21st-century soft skills in a conducive environment). Grade 5 pupils are enrolled into the programme at the beginning of the school-term to receive weekly gender-segregated sessions held concurrently based on a gender-specific curriculum. The topics treated revolve around puberty, agency, leadership, resisting peer pressure, and risky behaviours. The sessions are facilitated by the LRC staff, who have been trained as safe space facilitators. The sessions are held during the grade 5’s free period, so as not to interfere with their regular school schedule and are highly interactive and participatory as one of the main focuses of the project is for the children to communicate freely. Baseline and endline questionnaires are administered regularly to collect qualitative data and track the impact of the programme on the wellbeing of the children.
The Safe Space Project is implemented across four (4) of our Learning Resource Centres.
Since project initiation in 2023, we have enrolled 647 grade 5 public school children into the project.
Administered baseline questionnaire (at the beginning of the school term before the safe space sessions) and endline (at the end of the school term after the safe space sessions) have revealed an average increase in self-esteem among the children from 42.5% to 70%.
Needs assessment should be carried out. A gender-specific curriculum should be created. Staff/volunteers should be trained as safe space facilitators. Permission should be gotten to set-up a safe space. Sessions should be held at a time that will ensure optimum beneficiary participation. Regular data collection through questionnaires to track impact.
