The very first CHANGE Agent training of the new, co-funded project Let’s CHANGE took part last weekend on January 26th 2019 at the main office of TERRE DES FEMMES. Surprisingly for everybody, the training was accompanied by snow, which has fallen down the day before and did not leave every CHANGE Agent thrilled. However, the joy came back when the known faces arrived slowly and reunited after the kick-off meeting in December 2018.
In the upcoming months, the CHANGE Agents will be completing a course of instructions implemented by TDF during six months, which among other things will prepare them for the awareness and awareness-raising training within their communities, their role as CHANGE Agents and is based on mediation of expert knowledge and the exchange of experiences within the group. Teaching and learning contents are compiled in a set of modules and will inform about Gender and Women’s Rights, Communication Skills and Conflict Management, FGM and Religion, Community Analysis, FGM and Health Issues and many more. These modules will be of supportive act for the participants on their journey to become multipliers. Besides, the modules and the attendant training manual for facilitators are results of the predecessor projects CHANGE and CHANGE plus, and have been developed collectively with the respective international project partner organisations.
But not only was the transfer of knowledge on the agenda of the first training session, furthermore the teambuilding was also a relevant part of the session. On top of everything, an unconstrained atmosphere gave enough space to freely express thoughts and opinions. The beginning was made by TDF-policy specialist Charlotte Weil and Idah Nabateregga and project coordinator Caroline Pranz, after welcoming the participants they started right off and introduced them to the topic. Afterwards it was the prospective CHANGE Agents turn to introduce themselves and share own experiences and their motivation to participate in the project.
In addition, there is something special about this year’s project, this time it’s possible to cover the regions Asia and the Middle East, because two CHANGE Agents originated from Indonesia and Oman. Hence, there is a diverse group for this project, which will be working united and greatly excited. That was keenly sensible, when the discussions around different types, methods and justification patterns of FGM started as well as when the planning of behaviour change activities began, which will happen in the framework of the project and which the CHANGE Agents should implement to initiate behaviour change in their communities.
We are highly thanking all participants for their time and commitment and we are looking forward to the future teamwork!
Photos: © TERRE DES FEMMES
Stand: 01/2019