Sonke conducted Safeguarding/SEAH (Sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment) capacity strengthening sessions with each of the Power To Youth partners in Malawi from the 22-26 May 2023, and Uganda from 17-21 April 2023. Sonke visited each organisation and held separate sessions with staff from each of the individual organizations and then 2 collective sessions (one in each country). There was also representation from some MenEngage Africa partners who attended the sessions. Each session was preceded by a meeting with the management and board members for the individual organisations. This process helped to identify the key priorities of each organisation prior to each session.
The training was structured in a way to facilitate effective learning for the participants on enhancing their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding against SEAH and Fraud, corruption and bribery and its practical application within their organizations. The sessions focused on defining the SEAH, Safeguarding and related terms, identifying clarifying examples of the different forms of SEAH, prevention and what it means to adopt a ‘zero-tolerance approach to SEAH and FCB among other things. The trainers also took participants through the PTY Safeguarding policy, stressed the importance of implementing response and reporting provisions whilst identifying social, cultural and institutional barriers to reporting safeguarding incidents.
The trainers adopted a participatory approach during the sessions to allow for active participation of everyone in the room. The engagement with all the organisations was so amazing! The training made use of visual aids, case studies, role playing, group activities related to common experiences so that participants could relate to the content. A Safeguarding assessment of the of each of the individual organisations was also conducted.
Partners expressed their satisfaction with the safeguarding sessions as well as their commitment to effectively implement the Safeguarding policies with some board members and MEA partners also requesting for a similar kind of training for each of their teams as well.
