WHY MOBILISE?

You care. You can make a difference!

THANK YOU for caring about young women and for helping your community!

There are too many adolescent girls becoming pregnant, with negative consequences for them, their children and your whole community. The “Let’s Talk!” campaign is happening throughout the country and the region, with the goal of preventing early and unintended pregnancy (EUP).

Thank you for joining this effort as a social mobiliser!

Think about what happens when a girl becomes pregnant when she is still in school, when her body is still not mature and strong. Is it right to push a girl out of school? Is it fair that she face preventable medical problems instead of learning with her peers? Should children be raising children?

As an influencer in your community, you have the power to make a difference. You will help people understand the costs of EUP and the benefits of avoiding it. Along with other social mobilisers, and with the help of this guide, you will educate and motivate people in your community to shift attitudes and change damaging practices that lead girls to become pregnant before they are ready.

WHAT CAN YOU DO to Make A Difference?

You can start spreading the word about EUP right away. As a LTC mobiliser, you will reach out to different community groups and leaders, through existing channels and using resources provided by the LTC. Along the way, you will inspire people to become champions. You should support those volunteers to help you with the mission of educating and advocating for action through social networks in the community.

HOW TO MOBILISE:

As a LTC mobiliser, you can play a key role in reducing and ultimately eliminating EUP and the damage it presents to young women and their families. But it won’t help if you simply tell people what to do. You need to listen to them talk about their problems and ideas first, and then people will be more open to hearing your message.

You also want to be careful about how you speak and mobilise. You want your messages to connect with your community, and to last long after your sessions are done. To sustain impact, concentrate on connecting with people and building coalitions.

Your first step is to identify people who have influence in the community. These “social influencers” are your potential allies. They can be anyone, of any occupation, gender, or age. They may be leaders from local organizations, health workers, school teachers, or religious leaders. They may be community elders, local celebrities, or they may be ordinary people without formal status who are known for just getting things done.

You should think carefully about your audience’s perspective when you plan your approach for community meetings. Who are the people you want to take action to prevent EUP? What are their concerns? Their assets? How can you create a supportive environment that will convince people that delaying pregnancy is a good thing?

As a LTC mobiliser, you have an incredible opportunity to influence your community’s understanding of this important issue, and spur them to act. Every time you speak to a neighbour or community group, you can be their teacher and their guide, helping them to understand how to keep their family healthy. The following guidance will help you facilitate small, informal discussions as well as larger more structured meetings.