This brief provides and overview of the general findings from the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning of the 10 Million Strong program which ran at the Badihagwa Secondary School in Hanuabada between July and September 2023. To measure the effect of the program the participating students were surveyed both on entry and exit from the program on:
1. Their understanding of general topics on health and wellbeing
2. Their attitudes towards leadership
3. Their attitudes towards gender
The below provides the overall findings of the three areas, including any difference between the participating boys and girls. A more in-depth and detailed report will follow.
When it comes to general knowledge on health and wellbeing, we have the following findings:
- There is a significant improvement in knowledge about food, sugar and the need to drink water rather than sugary drinks.
- There is a significant improvement in understanding that health is holistic and not just about exercise (but also diet, hydration and rest).
- We can see an improvement in the understanding of physical activity having a long-term effect on general health and wellbeing.
- We see a change in the perception that exercise is only for professional athletes.
- There was no significant gender difference in attitudes towards health and wellbeing in neither the entry or exit surveys.
The exit interview showed a significant change in attitudes towards menstrual health and women’s participation while on their period. At the beginning of the program, traditional beliefs around menstruation were still prevalent among the students (that if a girl on her period touched you, you could lose your hair. That a girl on her period shouldn’t cook for fear of contaminating the food). There was a radical positive change in allowing girls participation (in anything) during their periods.
The biggest measurable change from the program lies in the student’s perception of seeing themselves as potential leaders. There is a measurable change in how they perceive:
o Their potential impact on others
o Their ability to impact positive change in a group and
o Their ability to impact positive change in the community in general.
While both genders improved on the above measures, the biggest positive change was for the girls.
To quote one of the boys from the exit interview: “I have started to question why boys are always on top. We should let the person who has the knowledge be on top”
We see an overall positive change in the perception of gender equality. There is a measurable change in perceptions of:
o Equal access to education
o The use of and tolerance/justification of violence
The most significant change in gender perception is among the boys.
Further detailed insights will be provided in the upcoming comprehensive report in June 2024.
