esther

Esther is 12-years-old. At school one day, she started her period for the first time. Having never been told about menstruation, she walked home in confusion about her soiled dress. Marcel, an older boy from school, followed her and asked what had happened to her. When she said, "I don't know," he replied, "I know something that can help. When the bleeding stops, come see me, and I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

Once her first period finished, 12-yr-old Esther naively, fearfully, and hopefully went to visit Marcel. He convinced her that sex (another thing she knew nothing about) would prevent the blood from returning. And he was right. Marcel essentially raped Esther, and her period didn't return. Only 4 months after her first period, Esther's family realized that she was pregnant - yet another thing about her body that she didn't understand.

This is one of many stories that propels us to integrate health and sex education into the after-school program. Last year, I wrote of Patience's story. Please keep us in mind as we take small but significant steps toward sexual health for children like Esther, Marcel, and Patience in a culture where the topic of sex is completely taboo.