Power, Protection, and Pleasure With Female Condoms

Thursday, September 17, 2015

They huddled around the table, with their matching school uniform of maroon pants and white tops. Some were on their tiptoes, heads bobbing up and down trying to get a good look. Others were crouched down so they could see between the girls in front of them. Two in the back whispered to each other, curious about the demonstration they were seeing. 

“Run your fingers down the package to spread the lubrication. Now squeeze the inner ring forming an ‘8’—that’s the part you insert first,” said a young woman at the center of the semi-circle. 

I couldn’t even see her from where I stood behind the crowd, but I heard her voice as she walked the group of high school girls through the process of inserting a female condom. I stood on my tiptoes to see above the row of heads and watched the leader in action. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a group of boys sheepishly looking on. 

This was one of many demonstrations like it at high schools in and around Mozambique’s capital city of Maputo. They’re made possible thanks to Pathfinder International—and funding from Oxfam and the Female Health Company. More than 60 trained activists travel to a list of area high schools, organizing regular female condom demonstrations. 

 

Source: Pathfinder International (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Health Care
Tags
reproductive health