Staying in School Community Interviews (Take Home Assignment)

The program involved a series of group discussions and interviews with community members. The first step involved forming a circle and introducing the topic of staying in school. Participants were then divided into groups of eight to ten people. Each group was tasked with finding three individuals who had completed secondary school in the community. Upon finding these individuals, the participants were instructed to ask two questions: "What was hard about staying in school?" and "What helped you stay in school?" The participants were also asked to thank the individuals for their time and move on to find others. The next day, the groups reconvened to discuss their findings and report back to the larger group. During the discussion, the participants were asked a series of questions to reflect on their experiences. They were asked how they felt about the responses they received from the individuals they interviewed, whether they found more men or women who had completed secondary school, and if they had age mates who had not been able to stay in school. The participants were also asked to consider the reasons why boys and girls in their community may not stay in school and the importance of education for both boys and girls. The program emphasized the challenges faced by girls in completing their secondary education, including household chores, caring for younger siblings, and early marriage. The initiative aimed to encourage community members to find ways to support girls in staying in school, such as helping with chores or delaying marriage. The program concluded with a commitment from each participant to take action in their home or community to support their peers in staying in school.