Warm Greetings from PEDN. At PEDN, COVID-19 has opened our eyes and challenged us to adjust from our traditional way of doing things and embrace technology in our work. We have still managed to continue working, attending scheduled meetings using online tools like Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp among others. Nonetheless, the closure of schools also meant the implementation of our school-based projects came to a halt. As we continue to wear masks, wash hands with soap and observe social distancing; we hope the situation can also get better.

Girls Take Lead Pilot Project was intended to address the underlying structural factors (such as poverty and harmful gender norms) that disempower adolescent girls and young women and which may lead to engage in transactional intimate relationships (referred to as sexual relationships where the giving and/or receiving of gifts, money or other services is an important factor). The aim of the project was to mitigate the risk of HIV associated with transactional intimate relationships.