Day 43: Learning so much....

I am learning so much here at TASO! So pretty much we met with the center manager here and told him that there’s was no way we’d be able to finish this project AND 2 other ones with the 6+ weeks we have left. So we asked him if we could just focus on this Gender Based Violence project and then work on rolling out their Leadership training course at the center. He agreed and I am so glad! Finally I feel at ease because we are really going to produce a great report that they can use to improve their gender mainstreaming programming.

So between me and the other fellow, we already looked through 350 files’ counseling sessions from now back to 2004 for instances of Gender Based Violence (GBV). Now that we have the remaining weeks to work on this project we are going to interview counselors and clients about what they think is needed to address GBV at TASO. I am learning so much through this project because we looked through the files and we interviewed all the counselors we need to today. It is so interesting how the inequality of women in Africa affects their ability to seek out effective HIV/AIDS information. Many of the women’s husbands refuse to use condoms, force them into sex, have numerous co-wives or partners and abuse them. The husband will blame the wife for bringing HIV to the home even though he refuses to get testing and is the one that most likely gave her the virus.

And much of this is accepted as the norm. Its truly sad how little power many women have over here to protect themselves. Some women believe their husbands only loves them if they beat them (A sad and sobering thought that some women even have in the US). Or that it your fault you got raped just because you didnt feel like having sex with your husband. Women have so much farther to go in this world.....

I am grateful I was raised in a family full of strong women who all have their own opinions and don't take shit from anybody. Clearly it rubbed off on me...lol Ironically, the only woman (considering Mom, Aunts, and older female cousins) in my family that's still married is my sister. Is it that an African/Black man cannot handle a strong woman? Does he feel his manhood is threatened when a woman wants to take charge? Or can we really be that overbearing and controlling? Hmmmm.....