Young People Choose Health

Personal and sexual health are tough topics for teenagers. But young people in Vietnam are helping each other address these issues, ADRA ’s Leisele Ellis reports.

Arriving in Vietnam for the first time, I was not prepared for the sensory overload of sights, smells and sounds that I expe rienced. It is a country rich with culture and geography, with emerald green rice paddies, the constant buzz of bikes, pungent smells of unique food and warm, friendly people.

I was travelling with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to learn about the Adolescents Choose Health Initiative (ACHI) in the northern province of Cao Bang.
ADRA identified this particular community to work in since adolescents engaging in substance abuse and sexual activity were increasing and the province had the eighth highest HIV rate among Vietnam’s 64 provinces.

The ACHI works in 11 schools in three districts, providing life skills and health education. One student per class in each of the schools is trained by ADRA health professionals to be “peer educators.” Peer education in Vietnam works effectively because students take pride in their role and their peers are responsive to their leadership, due to their similar age. Through fun and creative activities, such as games and roleplay, students are taught about sexual and reproductive health and substance abuse.

While attending a lesson given by the peer educators, it was great to see a high level of involvement by the students. I was surprised at their honesty and willingness to talk about these “scary” subjects and how much they knew about many issues.
One girl said, “Before I started going to these classes, I drank alcohol just because some of my friends did. But now I understand that it is bad for me and that it’s OK to say no.” The ACHI is also working with Women’s Unions, educating mothers about these same subjects, which helps them to reinforce at home what their children are being taught at school. While attending a meeting about the project, I was really encouraged to hear many positive comments about how the project has changed the lives of the mothers and their families.

Dao, a mother of three teenagers, said, “The knowledge we have gained from the project has been really useful in helping me teach my kids how to live healthy, happy lives. I think it has also brought us closer together as a family, as I feel more comfortable and confident talking about these topics.” ADRA’s work in Vietnam is meeting a great need. More importantly, it is enabling young people to make informed choices for a better future.