PUBLISHED RESEARCH
“My life would not be the same”: A qualitative, retrospective evaluation of the post-programme outcomes of an in-school comprehensive sexuality education programme in Madagascar
A retrospective study, published in Sex Education, into how PJL's CSE program shaped former learners’ lives a few years after they participated in the program
January 2024
The Starting Point
Most evaluations of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programs look at short-term results — what changes during, or soon after, the program. Little research has been conducted, especially in low-income countries, into what happens years later. Without that longer view, it's hard to know whether CSE creates lasting change in young people's lives.
In Brief
This peer-reviewed study, published in Sex Education, is a retrospective evaluation of Projet Jeune Leader's CSE program. Researchers interviewed young people, now aged 16 to 24, who had taken part in the program during middle school at least two years earlier. The goal was to understand how they view the program's lasting effect on their behaviors and lives.
Key Takeaways
→ Former participants credit the program with helping them navigate the transition to adulthood.
→ Many described avoiding risky sexual behaviors and steering clear of alcohol and drugs.
→ The program motivated participants to stay in school and continue their education.
→ Participants reported lasting gains in social-emotional skills, especially self-esteem.
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“My Life Would Not Be the Same”: Findings from a Qualitative Retrospective Study of our Program
by Maia Ramarosandratana
For the first time, we conducted a qualitative retrospective study of our program, grounded in the voices of past participants.
We had two main areas of inquiry: we wanted to explore participants’ experiences with the program, and we wanted to understand how former participants assessed the impact of the program on their lives, a few years out.
Discover Other Resources
From Classroom to Community: A Study of the Multi-Level Impacts of a Comprehensive Sexuality Education School Subject in Madagascar through Collaborative Filmmaking
Through Collaborative Filmmaking, a participatory visual research methodology, CSE teachers in Madagascar's rural public middle schools documented how the subject can positively transform a school community
Exploring the multi-level impacts of a youth-led comprehensive sexuality education model in Madagascar using Human-centered Design methods
This study with 140 school principals and administrators, published in Plos One, examines the spillover effects of comprehensive sexuality education on families, schools, and communities in Madagascar.
“My life would not be the same”: A qualitative, retrospective evaluation of the post-programme outcomes of an in-school comprehensive sexuality education programme in Madagascar
A retrospective study, published in Sex Education, into how PJL's CSE program shaped former learners’ lives a few years after they participated in the program