On Wednesday, Dec 7: Ambassador Gaspard of the US Embassy South Africa and USAID health team had the pleasure of participating in a teacher training workshop, run by parter Education Development Center (EDC), focusing on Peer Pressure, just one element of the  Department of Basic Education SA's (DBE) new sexuality scripted lesson plans, for grades 7, 8, & 9. Launching in January 2017, the goal is to reduce teenage pregnancy levels, increase retention of girls in school, and prevent HIV transmission in this vulnerable population.

Since 2007, The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through USAID, has supported the DBE to improve HIV prevention education in schools, including a comprehensive revision of the Department’s policy on HIV and AIDS in schools.

PEPFAR's 'DREAMS' program ensures young women and girls remain AIDS-free and are provided with opportunities for success. Activities include social protection, creating linkages to social welfare services and grants, creating linkages to socio-economic opportunities, psychosocial support services to address gender-based violence, and strengthening families through support for parents and caregivers. DREAMS activities also include biomedical interventions linking female learners to health services, such as condom promotion and provision, HIV counseling and testing, and expanding and improving the contraceptive method mix. To learn more about DREAMS click here and also on this link