Young girls in Malawi must be able to acquire sexual health information and skills to
protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and prevent unintended pregnancies. The purpose
of this study was to evaluate a pilot training program that sought to enhance the
skills of grandmothers (Agogos) to discuss issues related to sex and sexuality with
young girls. Data from eight focus group discussions were analyzed, comparing
trained Agogos and the girls they counseled to untrained Agogos and the girls
they counseled. Trained Agogos and the girls they counseled, compared with
untrained Agogos and the girls they counseled, reported being more comfortablein communicating sexual issues with young girls at earlier ages, were more likely to
have interactive discussions, and were more likely to stress the importance of finishing
school as reasons to delay sexual activity. More research is needed to determine
if such an approach is effective and sustainable.