My favourite part was when you talked about the periods and cleanliness. I liked that section because it taught me that what I was thinking about periods, that I can’t eat anything, can’t touch the pickle.. all these were not right thoughts. My thinking completely changed based on that. You gave us an idea how to keep our body clean. So I liked that session.
12 year old female student
Before we didn’t know about out bodies, so we made up explanations. We were scared of these issues or we would not use these words. After iesha's course, we changed. We don’t have to be disturbed in our thoughts, we can be normal about these things.
11 year old male student
After the Consent session, we learned that you cannot force girls or boys. Now we have an idea that you should not force someone if they don’t want to do something, and it’s also their choice. If we want to speak to a girl, we should not say ‘I would die for you, I will do this for you’ – Relationships are not like that.
13 year old male student
We can see lots of changes in our 8th standard students after Iesha’s course. They can speak freely. Whatever questions they have, they are asking very frankly. It is beneficial for us also to speak freely with them. We can share our knowledge with them. Now we do not hesitate to answer them.
Male teacher
Since Iesha’s course, many things have happened to our students. The girls have got a new sense of freedom. There is a sense of community in the classroom. An understanding of how we all have to live with this and manage ourselves.
Female teacher
My classroom had been facing problems in terms of a lot of sexual commenting and bullying going around, which was making the girls in the class and the female teachers very uncomfortable. This is when I sought Iesha for help. To be really honest, I was a little skeptical of how Iesha’s comprehensive sex education course will play out given the very conservative nature of my school’s community and management. However I was really amazed at how Iesha tailored their course content and their delivery to fit to my school’s context.
By the end of the course not only did the commenting/bullying reduce, but the overall maturity of my students with respect to sensitive issues increased dramatically. Iesha had created a very safe and healthy environment for all of us to talk freely and openly about things that we could never have talked about before.
One of my students who wanted to sit out of the course after the first day because she didn’t feel it was right to discuss these matters in class, thanked me at the end of the course for bringing Iesha to the school.
I am very grateful and extremely pleased by the work that they have done.
Hari Haran, Teach For India Fellow
After Iesha’s course, the boys behave more respectfully and they also study very well. They speak respectfully with the teachers. Those who were arrogant, those who would not speak properly – even from them we see more politeness. Students are comfortable together and we can make them work together more easily for activities. After the course they are acting like such good students. I am very happy.
