OWTV-Learning about living

Learning about Living is a project using computers and mobile phones to teach Nigerian teenagers about sexuality and HIV/AIDS prevention. The demand for precise and non-judgmental information on these issues is bigger than ever. The teenagers love it and acquire IT skills at the same time.

Learning about Living (LaL) is a two year project led by OneWorld Uk, designed to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to teach sexuality education to young people in Nigeria. It is designed as an educational tool that can be used in and out of school to enhance the physical, reproductive and mental well-being of young people by engaging them in the issues and giving them accurate information to make informed decisions about their sexual health.

It involves the development and implementation of an e-learning system based on the national Family Life HIV/AIDS Education (FLHE) curriculum.

Learning about Living has three aims: * Utilise information and communication technology (ICT) to equip Nigerian teenagers with the relevant skills to enable them make informed decisions about their sexual health, prevent HIV/AIDS and gender based violence, and associated mortality and morbidity * Improve discussion and information on sexuality education and reduce socio-cultural tendencies that lead to reluctance in discussing these issues with young people * Increase gender equality by reducing the prevalence of and offering positive alternatives to gender constructs that assume male superiority and the acceptability of violence against women in the Nigerian society.

In addition to the e-learning tool, 2 further services involving mobile phones to provide additional support and further engage young people was launched in November 2007. The MyQuestion service is a 3-in-1 question and answer service provided through free text messages, by email and voice support through a toll free number, and a competition service called MyAnswer, designed to further engage young people by giving them a chance to win prizes.

Partners

This is a multi-stakeholder project led by OneWorld UK as project managers, working with over ten Nigerian and International partners including: * ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) * Action Health Incorporated (AHI), Lagos * Butterfly Works Netherlands * Education as a Vaccine Against Aids (EVA) * Girls' Power Initiative (GPI) * The Federal Ministry of Education (HIV/Aids Unit) * The Federal Ministry of Health (ARH Unit) * MTN Foundation through their SchoolConnect Program implemented by SchoolNet * The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) * World Population Foundation

Funding provided by

Oxfam

Novib Netherlands;

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation USA;

The Dutch Ministry through Butterfly Works