I
I
I
SECOND EDITION
Acknowledgements
Your Body - Second edition
Authors:
Makhosazana Xaba, Emelda Boikanyo and Stephanie Moore
Editors:
Barbara Klugman, Makhosazana Xaba and Daphney Conco
Sub-editor:
Martha Molete, Umanyano Media Service
Illustrations: Charlotte Peden
Printed by:
Shereno Printers
Funders:
ICCO, Interfund, Oxfam UK and Terre des Hommes
We used some information about menopause from The South African Women's Health Book
and Dr Clive Evian's article on menopause in Learn & Teach magazine, April 1992. We also
used some information on the man's body from Family Life and Human Sexuality Education
for Parents, by Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa.
© Women's Health Project 2000
Women's Health Project has copyright over this manual. It cannot be reproduced
without our permission. You can contact us at:
Women's Health Project
POBox 1038
Johannesburg 2000
Third Floor, Spencer Lister Building
South African Institute for Medical Research
Corner De Korte and Hospital Streets
Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Telephone: (all) 489-9917 or 489-9905
Fax: (all) 489-9922
Email: [email protected]
This manual should be used with
The Facilitator's Guide: Introduction to the Women's Health Workshop Manuals
Other manuals in this series are:
Sexual Rights, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS Prevention,
Contraception, Abortion, Cervical Cancer
We suggest that Your Body should always be the fIrst workshop because it provides basic
information that is needed for all the other workshops.
ISBN 0-620-22893-8
I
I
I·
r
\
CONTENTS
1. Preparing for the workshop
2
Glossary
Before you begin
About the workshop
Things you will need
I
)j
2
6
6
6
2. The workshop
7
Introduction
What are we going to do today?
The inner body
Parts of the body
Role-play
Problem words
Our reproductive systems
The woman's reproductive system
Nomsa's story
Monthly periods I menstruation
The man's reproductive syst~m
Getting pregnant
Menopause
Who does my body belong to?
What we have learned today
7
7
8
8
11
12
13
14
16
17
18
19
20
23
24
3. Posters (separate package)
The body
l~~·~~
~ ::~--==
iIi' Jill!"
\)
r
~
\1
.
.
.
Poster 1
~
_.
!
.
...
-
\~~.;;;
./
Poster 2
-
Poster 3
r
Poster 4
Who does m
Poster 5
Poster 6
belan to?
Poster 7
1. PREPARING FOR THE WORKSHOP
Glossary
Anus:
The anus is an opening through which waste (faeces) from the body
comes out. The anus is found between the buttocks.
Bladder:
The bladder is a round ball-shaped part within the body. It is found below
your intestines. The job of the bladder is to hold and store the body's
urine (wee).
Brain:
The brain is found inside the head. It is one of the most important parts
of the body. The brain controls how we think, how we feel and how our
bodies move.
Clitoris:
The clitoris is found under the inner lips of the vulva, below the fatty part
over the pubic bone. It is small and shaped like a flower bud. It is very
sensitive to touch. Stroking it, and the area around it, helps to excite a
woman sexually.
Cycle:
A cycle is something that happens over and over again in a constant way.
A woman's menstruation cycle is a woman's period, which repeats itself
about every 28 days. There are many other kinds of cycles, such as the
cycle of the seasons each year - spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Ectopic pregnancy: Ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg in a woman begins to
grow in a fallopian tube instead of her womb. An ectopic pregnancy is
an emergency and should be treated in hospital.
Ejaculate:
When a man ejaculates, he releases liquid from his penis because he is
sexually excited due to sexual intercourse, masturbation or a wet dream.
This is also commonly known as "coming".
Fallopian tubes: Each woman has two fallopian tubes, one on either side of the womb.
Each tube is connected to the womb on one end. The other end of each
tube has a funnel-shaped mouth which opens close to each ovary. When
an egg is released from one of the ovaries each month (ovulation), the
egg is swept up into this mouth. Once in the tube, the egg begins its
'
movement to the womb.
2
Fertilisation:
Fertilisation is when the sperm from a man joins with an egg from a
woman inside the fallopian tube. This is the start of a foetus.
Foetus:
A foetus is a human embryo more than 8 weeks after conception (fertilisation).
Your body
G-spot:
The G-spot is a place in the inside front wall of the vagina. During sexual
intercourse, if this spot is properly stimulated for long enough, the
woman can have an orgasm or climax.
Genitals:
Genitals are the outside sex organs of the body. A woman's genitals
include her vulva, clitoris and vaginal opening. A man's genitals include
his penis and scrotum.
Hormones:
Hormones are chemical messengers that travel in your blood. Some hormones come from the brain. Others come from the ovaries and other
parts of our bodies. Hormones make our bodies do certain things. For
instance, they cause the physical changes in our bodies that make us
grow from girls to women (and from boys to men). Hormones also help to
arouse (excite) us during sex.
Hymen:
The hymen is a thin piece of skin that surrounds the opening of the vagina. It can break easily with exercise, sexual intercourse or when any
direct force is applied to it.
Implantation:
Implantation is when a fertilised egg settles itself on the wall of the womb.
The fertilised egg will stay here and grow over nine months of pregnancy.
Intestines:
The intestines are long tubes folded up beneath your stomach. They connect the stomach to the anus. Food from the stomach passes through the
intestines.
Kidneys:
A person have two kidneys, one on each side of the spine at the back of
the body. Our bodies produce waste. This waste is taken out of the blood
by the kidneys. This waste is a fluid called urine (wee). It is sent to the
bladder through tubes and stored before passing out of our bodies
through the urethra.
Liver:
The liver is below your right lung in the stomach area. Its job is to remove
poisons that may be in the food you eat or the liquids you drink before
these things are sent to the rest of the body.
Lungs:
The lungs are on each side of the chest in the rib cage. The air you
breathe through your nose is collected in your lungs. Blood carries this air
(oxygen) from your lungs to all parts of your body.
f.
I
I
Masturbation: Masturbation is when a person rubs or strokes her or his own sexual parts
in a pleasurable way. Mutual masturbation is when two people masturbate together or with each other.
Your body
3
Menopause:
This is the later time in a woman's life when she stops producing eggs and
can, therefore, no longer have children. It usually happens when she is
between 45 and 55 years old.
Menstruation: A woman's montWy period is menstruation. It is the bleeding from a
woman's womb out of the vagina that happens every month.
,
Orgasm:
Orgasm, also known as climax, is the peak of sexual excitement. During
orgasm, both men and women experience total release of sexual tension.
Ovary:
A woman has two ovaries. They are found on either side of a woman's
womb. Each ovary is connected to the womb by a tube called a fallopian
tube. Female eggs are produced within the ovaries.
Ovulation:
Ovulation is when one of a woman's ovaries releases a ripened egg
(ovum). Ovulation happens every 28 days in most women.
Ovum:
Ovum is the female egg. Ova is the plural term and means more than one
ovum.
Oxygen:
The air we breathe is partly made of oxygen. The cells in our bodies need
oxygen to live.
Perineum:
The perineum is the area lying between the end of the vulva and the anus
in a woman, and it is between the scrotum and the anus in a man.
Pregnancy:
Pregnancy is the time it takes for a foetus to grow inside a woman's womb
before it is born. Pregnancy usually takes about nine months.
Reproductive system: The reproductive system is all of the parts in a woman's or man's
body that make it possible to have babies. In a woman her brain, ovaries,
womb and vagina are part of her reproductive system. A man's brain,
penis and the testes are part of his reproductive system.
,i
!
4
Semen:
Semen is the liquid that comes out of (ejaculates from) a man's penis
when he is sexually excited.
Sex:
Sex is the common term for sexual relations or intercourse between two
people. Sex can mean different things to different people.
Sperm:
Sperms are the tiny cells produced in the testes, also known as male eggs.
Sperms are contained in semen that leaves a man's body (ejaculates) from
the penis during sex, masturbation or wet dreams.
Stomach:
The stomach is the pouch which holds the food you eat. Inside the stomach, this food is mixed with other substances to make it ready for the body
to use. Once the food is ready it is passed to your intestines.
Your body
Stool:
Stool is the waste matter that leaves the body from the anus. It is also
known as faeces.
Urethra:
The urethra is the opening through which urine leaves the body. The urethra is connected to the bladder by tubes.
Urine:
Urine is the waste liquid of the body. It is also known as wee or pee.
Uterus:
The uterus is the woman's womb. It is the pear-shaped part that holds a
foetus inside a woman's body during pregnancy.
Vagina:
The vagina is the tube that connects a woman's outside sex parts with the
cervix (mouth of the womb). It is also called the "birth canal".
Vulva:
The vulva is a woman's outer sex organ. It has many parts, including the
clitoris, the inner and outer lips, and the opening to the vagina.
I
1
..
I
r
Your body
Before you begin
Please read the Facilitator's Guide: Introduction to the Women's Health
Workshop Manuals fIrst before you start planning your workshop.
Read through all of Your Body. Make sure you feel comfortable with the information that is presented here. This is the information you will be presenting in
the workshop.
If you are translating (not using English), think about which words you can
choose in the language you are using to talk about the parts of the body. Use the
glossary starting on page 2 to help you. The·role-play and problem words exercise on pages 11 and 12 may also help you if you are not sure which words to
use.
About the workshop
This workshop is about our bodies. It is fIrst in the series of workshops. It is
important to start with this workshop because it gives people the information
they will need for all the workshops after this one.
This workshop is divided into two sections:
,
Section 1 is about the inner parts of the body - where they are found and what
their marn functions are.
1
Section 2 is about the parts of a woman's and a man's bodies that are involved
in sex and making babies. It talks about:
III the woman's reproductive system;
III montWy periods;
III the man's reproductive system;
III getting pregnant;
III special cases of pregnancy; and
III menopause.
3 HOURS
The total time needed to conduct this workshop is about
3 hours. Please allow extra time for translations, questions and discussion.
Things you will need
III This manual and its five posters.
III Something to write on, such as a chalkboard, newsprint or big paper.
III Something to write with, such as pens, crayons and pencils, if possible in different colours.
III Sticky tape, Prestik or anything you can use to stick the posters (and papers if
you are using them) on the wall.
If you do not hav~ any of these things, do not worry! Run the workshop without them. It's
okay to do it that way too.
6
Your body
I,
I!
1. THE WORKSHOP
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants ~ ~
fl ~ ..>
U
1"'--- \ '" /
Introduce yourself.
Explain that the fIrst
game is an exercise for
group members to get
to know each other. Ask
everyone to introduce
themselves and then to
think of something they
like. It can be anything.
You can start the game
with yourself.
Say: We will start by introducing ourselves. Here is a
game that will help. Each of you says your name and
something you like, for example: I like sunshine, I like
rain, I like the colour blue, I like children, and so on.
Say what the objectives
of the workshop are
using Poster 1.
Stick Poster 1 on the
wall. Point to the poster
with your fmger or with
a pencil while you are
talking. Discuss with the
group members what
they will talk about in
the workshop.
Say: In this workshop, we are going to learn about our
bodies. By the end of this workshop, you will know:
o the different parts of our bodies;
o how the different parts of our bodies work;
o which parts of our bodies are involved with
sex and reproduction;
o about menopause; and
o who our bodies belong to.
\
~
I'
I
Your body
7
(
;Ii
Facilitator's
notes
Stick Poster 2 on the
wall. Point to it while
you are talking.
Information for participants
~~~.L:.O....~...a=::.:.L!..-----L.J
Say: This is what our bodies look like inside. The body is
made of many body parts. Each part works with the other
parts of the body. This means that each part is important.
When something goes wrong in one part, the other parts
are affected too. If the problem continues, more and more
things can go wrong until the body cannot work at all. All
body parts are connected to each other by little tubes.
Blood flows through these tubes to reach all over the
body.
'I
m
~
"
I
1
I
I
I:
II
Ask each member of the
group to name all the
inner parts of their bodies that they lmow. Then
tell group members that
they are going to discuss
the following body
parts. Point to each part
of the body on poster 2
as you are talking.
,i
I:
Ii
8
Say: Today we will look at the following body parts:
Dbrain
Dheart
Dlungs
D stomach and intestines
D liver
Dkidneys
D urinary bladder
Your body
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants
1l...!o..>.~"'-'-'-'''-'-'''--~~....!1..----L..J
Brain
Say: The main job of the brain is thinking and controlling
our feelings. The brain is in your head and is joined to the
spinal cord which runs through the spine in your back.
Many thin nerves are connected to the brain and the
spinal cord. These nerves act as messengers between the
brain and the rest of your body.
I
I
l
II
1
Say: The nerves pick up what is happening in your body
and send messages to the brain. The brain understands
these messages. It sends instructions through the nerves
back to where each message came from and tells that part
of your body what to do.
I
Say: For example, if you touch, hear or smell sometWng,
the nerves pick this up and send a message to the brain.
The brain then says, "That's hot, move your hand away"
or, "That's a baby crying, go and see what's happening".
Your brain and nerves keep you in touch with the world
around you.
Heart
Say: Your heart is in your chest. It lies in the rib cage,
between the lungs - usually more on the left side. It is as
big as your fist. It is connected to a network of blood-vessels -like a pump and network of pipes - and serves as
the body's supply system. Your heart pumps blood to all
the parts of your body. The blood carries the food and air
that all parts of the body need in order to live.
Lungs
Say: Your lungs are on each side of your chest in the rib
cage. They are connected to your nose. Their job is to
make the air that you breathe clean, wet and warm. The
most important part of tWs air is oxygen. Oxygen is the
part of the air the body needs to live. If your body does
not get oxygen for even a few minutes it will die.
i
""
At the end of tWs session,
ask group members if
they have any questions.
Discuss the answers to
these questions.
Your body
9
Facilitator's
_ _--J
notes
Information for participants
~------,,~=......!~~!.--LJ
The stomach and intestines
Say: The stomach and intestines are two main parts of
the digestive system that starts at your mouth and ends at
your anus. The stomach is just below your left lung but
below your rib cage. The intestines are below your stomach.
Point to Poster 2.
Say: The food you eat travels through this long system.
During its journey it is mixed with other substances
which make it ready for the body. This prepared food is
taken from the stomach and intestines to all parts of the
body by your blood. What the body does not need is taken
out as waste and passes through the anus as faeces and
through the bladder as urine.
Liver
Say: Your liver is below your right lung in the stomach
area. Its main work is to remove all the poison that may
be in the food you eat before it is sent to the rest of the
body.
Kidneys
Say: You have two kidneys. They are found at each side of
the spine at the back below the rib cage. All the body's
activities produce waste. This waste is taken by the blood
to the kidneys and the kidneys filter it. This waste fluid is
called urine (wee). It is sent to the bladder through tubes
and stored there before it passes out of your body.
Urinary bladder
Say: The bladder is round like a ball and is found below
your intestines. It holds and stores urine (wee). A tube
called the urethra leads from the bladder to the opening
outside your body. When you wee, the bladder squeezes
out the urine.
10
Your body
II
,J
\
,
I
!
Facilitator's
notes
Explain to group members what a role-play is.
{
Information for participants
~~<>..L.L!.'-'-"'-.!!..:--"'-'-.LL.-----L.J
Say: Role-play is acting. In a role-play, people act or pretend to be someone else.
For example, a role-play might ask you to act as a mother
or her teenage daughter - or a clinic sister or a patient.
,
Say: Role-plays can be for two or more people. By getting
us to act as different people, role-plays can help us to
understand why people say the things they say and do the
things they do. We need to imagine how they think and
feel.
(
Role-plays can also be fun!
Ask two people to volunteer to act out the
role-play.
Say to actor 1: "Your name is Sindi. Your daughter has
been asking you a lot of questions about where babies
come from and you don't know what to say."
Take actors aside and
give them their roles.
Say to actor 2: "You are Pat. Your friend Sindi is worried
because her daughter asks where babies come from.
What advice would you give her?"
Say: This role-play will help us to learn about the
woman's reproductive system. It will help us to talk about
the private parts of our bodies.
j
/1
Your body
11
l1~
,.
I
Facilitator's
_ _ _---.J
notes
Information for participants
~--",~~..:.........:=:....t:l_LJ
m
~
Ask: Why do we feel uncomfortable when talking about
our bodies and sex?
Listen to group responses and get the group to
discuss them.
Say: Here is a list of words which we need to use. Are you
comfortable using these words or would you rather use
other words?
Stick a blank piece of
paper on the wall. Write
the words listed below
on the paper (or write
them in the language
you are going to use).
',.
'I
Next to each of the
words. write down the
words that the members
of the group prefer to
use. Keep this list for
future workshops with
the same group.
'I II
II II '
vulva
sperm
vagina
clitoris
sex
genitals
ejaculate
egg
orgasm
uterus
penis
ovary
semen
menstruation
.
.
I
Say: Let us help Pat and Sindi by agreeing on words that
we feel comfortable talking about. We will also use these
words in future workshops.
!I
,
:1,
Say: Let us stand and stretch for a short break!
'I
:I'il
~ II :
I
~ lit
I'!
I
Stand and stretch and
encourage the others to
do so. Then ask them to
sit down.
I
I
I
,
!I,
1'1
:I I
I:
I,
I:
II.
I
12
Your body
Facilitator's
notes
Make sure Poster 2 is
still on the wall. Stick
up Poster 3 next to it.
Remember to point to
the right parts of the
poster when you are
talking to the group.
Information for participants
I!..!...:>.~~~..l!..:-~:....!L.---L..J
Say: We have talked about many inner parts of the body.
We are now going to talk about the parts of the body
which are involved with sex and making babies. All of
these parts together are called the reproductive system.
Say: We will talk about:
D the different parts of a woman's reproductive system;
D the different parts of a man's reproductive system;
D the monthly period;
D getting pregnant; and
D menopause.
Ask: What is the smallest thing you can think of?
Say: Hormones are even smaller than that. They are so
tiny that we cannot see them with our eyes. Hormones
are the engine of our reproductive system. They are like
baking powder, which makes bread rise.
Say: Some hormones are made inside the brain. Others
are made in the reproductive (sex) parts of our bodies.
Say: Hormones work inside us to tell the different parts of
our bodies to do certain things and to make certain
changes happen. For example, hormones in women make
their breasts get large when they grow from being children to being young women. They also cause women's
monthly periods to begin and later stop. In men, hormones cause them to have deep voices and to develop
sperm.
i
I
J
Your body
13
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants
"li'W1l3·.~• •@~.·~
"
,
;
I
.
I,
I,
i
Point to Poster 3.
Explain each of these
parts of the body. Point
to each part of the body
on the poster as you talk
about it.
i
,il'i,
i!
:1'
II,
~----,,~..:L......!~=...LL-....LJ
21§),~~Q!JlJt30
(9
The outer sexual and reproductive
parts
Say:
D the vulva is found between a woman's thighs. The
different parts of the vulva make up a woman's
outside sex organs;
D the hairy, fatty part over the pubic bone is called
the mons pubis;
D the two folds, or outer lips protect the urinary and
vaginal openings;
D two inner lips which lie between the outer lips are
without hair and are very sensitive;
D the clitoris is found where the inner lips meet just
below the fatty part over the pubic bone. It is small
and shaped like a flower bud. It is very sensitive to
touch. Touching it and the surrounding area helps
a woman to get sexually excited;
D the outside opening of the urinary passage - called
the urethra -lies below the clitoris. It leads directly to the bladder. Urine (wee) leaves your body
through your urethra;
D the vaginal opening is the outside end of the
vagina. Babies are born through this opening;
D the hymen is a thin skin that surrounds the vaginal opening and partly blocks it. It can break easily.
This can happen with exercise, sexual intercourse
or with any direct force on it;
D the perineum is the area lying between the end of
the vulva and the anus in a woman and it is
between the scrotum and the anus in a man; and
D the anus is the opening below the perineum. Body
wastes (faeces) pass through this opening.
II
I
,
, I
i'
14
Your body
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants
~~~~~...a:::::.:..cL.-----L.J
The inner reproductive parts
I
I
I
Say: There are four main inner reproductive parts:
o vagina;
o uterus (or womb);
o fallopian tubes; and
o ovaries.
:I
"
i'
\,~.\
\1:
~.
{'I:,l
II
,I
Ii
I
Use the pictures on
Poster 3 to explain the
inner reproductive parts
of the body to group
members. Point to each
part as you talk about it.
I,
Say: The vagina leads from the vulva to the womb. It is
moist and self cleaning. It is lined with folds of skin which
stretch easily during sexual intercourse and when giving
birth. On the inside front wall of the vagina is the G-spot.
This is a sensitive place during sexual intercourse. If this
spot is properly stimulated for long enough, the woman
can have an orgasm or climax.
Say: The uterus or womb is a hollow part that is shaped
like an upside down pear. It is here, inside the womb,
where the foetus grows during pregnancy.
Say: The cervix is the mouth of the womb. The cervix
connects the womb with the vagina. The cervix protects
the woman's womb. It makes it impossible for objects
such as fmgers. the penis, condoms or a tampon to enter
the womb.
f:
I
Say: The fallopian tubes are found at each side of the
upper end of the womb. They reach outwards towards the
ovaries. When a female ovum (egg) is released from an
ovary it is sucked into the fallopian tubes. The ovum then
begins its journey through the tube to the womb.
Say: Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the
womb. They are connected to each other by the tubes.
The female eggs and hormones are made in the ovaries.
At the end of this discussion, ask the group
members if they have
any questions.
~al(esurethatevery
member of the group
can show you where the
different parts of the
body and the reproductive system are found on
the poster.
Your body
15
_ _ _.....J
, I
Facilitator's
notes
!
Information for participants
fl]]Jl]~Iill~~
-I
"
i,
Point to Poster 3.
Explain each of these
parts of the body. Point
to each part of the body
on the poster as you talk
about it.
····W~~~
The outer sexual and reproductive
parts
Say:
o
I
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
14
~-",~~~=-c!~.LI
the vulva is found between a woman's thighs. The
different parts of the vulva make up a woman's
outside sex organs;
the hairy, fatty part over the pubic bone is called
the mons pubis;
the two folds, or outer lips protect the urinary and
vaginal openings;
two inner lips which lie between the outer lips are
without hair and are very sensitive;
the clitoris is found where the inner lips meet just
below the fatty part over the pubic bone. It is small
and shaped like a flower bud. It is very sensitive to
touch. Touching it and the surrounding area helps
a woman to get sexually excited;
the outside opening of the urinary passage - called
the urethra - lies below the clitoris. It leads directly to the bladder. Urine (wee) leaves your body
through your urethra;
the vaginal opening is the outside end of the
vagina. Babies are born through this opening;
the hymen is a thin skin that surrounds the vaginal opening and partly blocks it. It can break easily.
This can happen with exercise, sexual intercourse
or with any direct force on it;
the perineum is the area lying between the end of
the vulva and the anus in a woman and it is
between the scrotum and the anus in a man; and
the anus is the opening below the perineum. Body
wastes (faeces) pass through this opening.
Your body
I
i/i
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants
~~6W:!.!..O--,,-=--....a=:...t:l.---L..J
The inner reproductive parts
Say: There are four main inner reproductive parts:
o vagina;
o uterus (or womb);
o fallopian tubes; and
o ovaries.
I
II
!
I
Use the pictures on
Poster 3 to explain the
inner reproductive parts
of the body to group
members. Point to each
part as you talk about it.
Say: The vagina leads from the vulva to the womb. It is
moist and self cleaning. It is lined with folds of skin which
stretch easily during sexual intercourse and when giving
birth. On the inside front wall of the vagina is the G-spot.
This is a sensitive place during sexual intercourse. If this
spot is properly stimulated for long enough, the woman
can have an orgasm or climax.
Say: The uterus or womb is a hollow part that is shaped
like an upside down pear. It is here, inside the womb,
where the foetus grows during pregnancy.
Say: The cervix is the mouth of the womb. The cervix
connects the womb with the vagina. The cervix protects
the woman's womb. It makes it impossible for objects
such as fmgers, the penis, condoms or a tampon to enter
the womb.
Say: The fallopian tubes are found at each side of the
upper end of the womb. They reach outwards towards the
ovaries. When a female ovum (egg) is released from an
ovary it is sucked into the fallopian tubes. The ovum then
begins its journey through the tube to the womb.
I
lJ
~
1
Say: Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the
womb. They are connected to each other by the tubes.
The female eggs and hormones are made in the ovaries.
At the end of this discussion, ask the group
members if they have
any questions.
Make sure that every
member of the group
can show you where the
different parts of the
body and the reproductive system are found on
the poster.
Your body
15
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants
~_""-'-'-'.!..i..<'--..!!2-~.LL----L.J
lIzJw!(?!JQDi::f130
Stick Poster 4 on the
wall. Use the poster pictures to explain each
step of the menstruation process. Point to
each 'picture as you discuss it.
(9
Ask: What happens inside a woman's body when she has
a period?
Say: The montWy period is nature's way of preparing a
woman's body for pregnancy. It starts in early teenage life
and happens regularly, if there is no pregnancy, until midadulthood, sometime after the age of 45. The period is
controlled by hormones. Once every month, one of the
ovaries makes an egg. The medical term for the female
egg is the ovum. When the egg matures and leaves the
ovary, this is called ovulation. When the egg leaves the
ovary, it is caught by the mouth-like end of one of the fallopian tubes and begins moving to the womb.
Say: While the egg is moving through the tube, the body's
hormones are making the inside of the womb develop a
sponge-like surface, full of blood vessels. The egg moves
from the fallopian tube into the womb. If an egg does not
meet a sperm on the way, it dies. The egg and the spongy
inside of the womb are then pushed out from the body.
They come out through the cervix and the vagina. This is
the montWy period, the blood that we can see.
Say: The next month the whole process starts again. The
cycle is the time from one month's period to the next
month's period. Some women have a short cycle - 21
days long. Others have a longer cycle - 28 days long.
Some women's cycle is always the same number of daysthis means that their cycle is regular. Some women's cycle
is irregular - sometimes only 20 days apart, sometimes,
much longer apart. An irregular cycle is perfectly normal.
Every woman is different.
After the discussion, ask
group members if they
have any questions.
Discuss their questions.
Your body
17
Facilitator's
. . . . . . . . .......J
notes
Information for participants
~~~~~Wl@)~ffiI]m~~'0~
Point to Poster 5.
Explain each of these
parts of the body. Point
to each part of the body
on the poster as you talk
about it.
LW>'t,-"---=..<.=--"-,,---,,,---,,,------,,-,
"D'@~~C\!!i:ff30
m
~
The outer reproductive parts
Say: The main outer reproductive parts include:
[J scrotum;
[J testes;
[J penis; and
[J foreskin.
Say: The scrotum is a muscular sac hanging between.the
man's thighs. The scrotum holds the testes.
Say: The testes are two balls which sit in the scrotum and
produce sperm and the male hormone called testosterone.
Say: The penis is the male outer sex organ. Inside the
penis there is a tube called the urethra which has a hole
at the end. The urethra carries urine to the outside of the
body. During sexual excitement semen comes out
through this tube.
Say: The foreskin is the skin that covers the head of the
penis. It can be rolled back to show the head of the penis.
This is the skin that is removed during circumcision.
The inner reproductive parts
Say: The main inner parts include:
[J sperms;
[J epididymis;
[J vas deferens;
[J seminal vesicles;
[J semen;
[J prostrate gland; and
[J urethra.
Say: Sperms are the tiny cells also known as male eggs.
Sperms are produced in the testes and stored in the epididymis.
Ii
i
Say: The epididymis stores the sperms until they are
matured. Once the sperm is matured it travels along the
tube called the vas deferens.
I
I
18
Your body
:
I
,
,
I
i
!
1,1
r
I'
I'
il
Facilitator's
notes
Ii
Information for participants
~~~~~....a:=:.::LL..-----L.J
III
I(
"
'i
Ii
il
1\
II
~
Ii
Ii
:~
'!
:~
I
At the end of tWs discussion, ask the group
members if they have
any questions. Make
sure that every member
of the group can show
you where the different
parts of the body and
the reproductive system
are found on the poster.
I
Say: The seminal vesicles are two pouches that contain
some fluids that nourish the sperms.
Say: The prostrate gland produces lubricating fluid for
sperms.
Say: Semen contains the sperms from the testes and the
nourishing fluids from the seminal vesicles and lubricating fluids from the prostrate gland.
Say: Semen is the fluid that leaves the man's body
through the urethra during sexual excitement.
~
~
I
~
Stick Poster 6 on the
wall. Use the poster to
explain how a woman
gets pregnant. Explain
each step well.
Say: A woman can get pregnant during the time of ovulation. Ovulation happens in the second week after the
period has stopped. Once the egg is made, it begins to
travel. It makes its way from the ovary through the tube
to the womb.
Say: When a woman and a man have sexual intercourse,
the man ejaculates a fluid that is made of male eggs called
sperm. One sperm is very small. During sex, the man
ejaculates inside the woman and the sperm are left in the
vagina. Sperm can move on their own. They swim up
through the cervix, into the womb and into the tubes,
looking for the female egg. If a woman's egg is in the
tubes at tWs time, the sperm may fmd it. When one
sperm joins with one woman's egg a foetus is formed. This
joining of male and female eggs is called fertilisation.
Say: In order for a woman to get pregnant, the man's
sperm must be in the womb at the time of the month
when there is a female egg there. If there is no egg, the
sperm dies after four days. As we have seen, if there is an
egg in the tube when the sperm comes, the two join
together and develop into a foetus. Because the tubes are
so small, only the joining happens in the tubes. After they
have joined, the fertilised egg travels into the womb and
settles into the soft part on one side of the womb. This is
called implantation.
Your body
19
Facilitator's
notes
At the end of the discussion, ask members if
they have any more
questions. Discuss the
questions group membershave.
Information for participants
1.!....!o..>..~~-'-"'--'-'-...a..:...-..<1...-----"-'
Say: When implantation happens, the soft layer of blood
and tissues does not die (the woman does not menstruate). The blood and tissue remain inside to shelter the foetus. The hormones work to make the foetus grow.
Pregnancy is the time it takes for a foetus to develop inside
the womb. Pregnancy lasts for about nine months. Then a
baby is born.
Special cases of pregnancy
Say: Ectopic pregnancy happens when the joined
sperm and egg remain in the tube and begin to grow.
This may be for different reasons, such as when the tube
is blocked. The baby begins to grow in the tubes. Because
the tube is small, it can burst without warning. This is
very dangerous and needs to be treated as an emergency
in a hospital.
Say: Twins are formed for one of two reasons.
Sometimes, during special cases, there can be two eggs
present in a woman's fallopian tube. If these eggs are fertilised by the sperm, two foetuses can develop and are
called fraternal twins. Another way twins are formed is
when one egg splits to become two foetuses. This results
in identical twins because the same egg splits into two
identical eggs.
This section will depend
on the age group of the
participants. For a
group that is already
experiencing
menopausal changes,
participants may want
to discuss this more
using their own experiences. For other groups,
giving the information
would be enough.
20
Say: We will begin this section on menopause by reading
Mary's story.
Mary's story
Say: My name is Mary. I am 53 years old. For many
months I have been getting very cross about little things
that bother me. I also can get so sad that I do not want to
get out of bed in the morning. My children worry about
me too much. Sometimes my face gets very hot and
sweaty all of a sudden. My husband says I should go to
the clinic to check my blood pressure but the clinic said it
was fine.
Your body
Facilitator's
Information for participants
notes
~~~~..l!..:'........a:=.:..!!.----L..
Ask: Does anyone know someone beginning menopause?
Did she face any similar kinds of problems to Mary? What
are some other changes or symptoms of menopause?
Allow time for discussion. Then explain what
menopause is.
Make sure Poster 3 is on
the wall.
What is menopause?
Say: As a woman's body gets older, her ovaries stop producing eggs. When this happens, her periods become
less regular. This does not happen suddenly. It can take
from six months to two or three years for her periods to
stop completely.
'\
"
Say: When her periods stop completely, we say she is in
her menopause.
Say: Menopause marks the end of our ability to conceive, but not the end of our ability to give and receive
love. Many women have an active and enjoyable sex life
after menopause. But it can happen as early as 40 years
or up to 60 years. Many women see this as a special time
in life, but it can also be a difficult time. Family members,
especially partners, need to be understanding and,supportive.
Allow five minutes for
discussion. Then write
up the following
changes on your wall
paper. You can also do
this while people mention changes.
• Changes in periods
• Hot flushes
• Changes to the
vagina
• Mood changes
• Weaker bones
• Bodily aches and
pains
Your body
Say: There are many signs and symptoms of
menopause. Let's listen to MmaMpho's story and discuss
what symptoms she may have.
MmaMpho's story
Say: MmaMpho is 52 years old. She has stopped having
her montWy periods. But a few weeks ago, she saw a little blood in her panties. It stopped for a week and then
there was some more blood. She spoke to her friend, who
said she must be sick. Now she is afraid to go to the clinic.
Ask: What do you think may be the reason for
MmaMpho bleeding?
21
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants
'(~~lL.!.!.L<~:........d=..a_LJ
ID\
Changes and symptoms
Say: Menopause can cause many changes in the
woman's body. We have looked at some of them. Here are
some more.
Look at what you have
already covered in your
discussion and only add
information that you
have not already given.
Say: A woman may have changes in periods. At the start
of menopause, a woman's periods begin to change and
later stop. Often she will miss one period, and then others,
so that her bleeding is no longer regular. Or the bleeding
may get lighter and last a shorter time. All women are different.
There may also be heavy bleeding and longer periods.
These may come every two to three months, or even be
further apart. If too much blood is lost, the woman may
lose a lot of iron. This is a problem because the body
needs iron to make new blood. Often women need to take
iron tablets to replace this lost iron. Foods like liver,
spinach and egg yolks are also high in iron.
Say: A common sign of menopause is hot flushes or flash.
This is a hot feeling in the face or body, sometimes with
sweating. Flushes can be triggered by hot food or drink,
emotions, alcohol or by getting too warm. They can be
uncomfortable, especially in public. Some women in
menopause also get night sweats.
Say: Vaginal dryness is a less common sign of
menopause. As we grow older, our vaginal walls get thinner and dryer. Menopause makes this worse because of
the drop in the amount of the hormone oestrogen ill the
body. Sexual intercourse may become difficult, painful or
even impossible. The vagina may become infected and
itchy. Using products like yoghurt, aqueous cream or KY
Jelly can help sex. But any vaginal itching or discharge
should be treated at the clinic.
·1
1
Say: Women in menopause often experience mood
changes. Menopause causes the body to naturally stop
I
1
I
22
Your body
I
l
Ii:
!
I,
.'
Facilitator's
notes
Information for participants
~~~UIL~..a::::.:.!L.----L..J
producing hormones and produce less of others.
Hormones have a powerful influence on our emotions,
bodies and the way we behave. Small things can upset us
and make us feel tearful and sad. Some women get angry,
some lose interest in sex. These are all normal feelings of
women in menopause. Often just knowing that it is normal can help. But it may be a difficult time. Family members, especially men, need to understand what you are
going through.
Say: Some women experience weaker bones. Women in
menopause often fmd that their bones are weaker and
break more easily. This is because of the drop in oestrogen
in the body and a lack of calcium. Calcium is a mineral
the body needs to keep bones strong. Many women also
have aches and pains and headaches.
Say: Some women who have terrible side-effects of
menopause can get medical help. Additional information
should be available from clinics. Things do settle down
over time. In the meantime, women can get help by
speaking to other women, friends and family or getting
advice from health workers.
Stick Poster 7 on the
wall. Use it to help you
do the activity.
These are questions you
can ask to help the
group members to talk
and share their ideas.
Your body
Say: Let's discuss this question of ownership.
What does it mean, to own something?
Can a woman own or control her own body?
Who else might own or control a woman's body?
Is it important for women to own themselves?
How is owning and controlling yourself important if you
want to make decision about your health?
Is the issue of controlling our bodies different for women
than it is for men? Why?
23
Facilitator's
notes
II
Information for participants
tl?
~
I
1',
I!
II
I
I
i
I
:1
,,-,-,,-~~'-'-""---"..:-..<:t::=...t:L.----L.J
This conversation circle
will end the workshop.
It will give the group a
chance to talk about
their feelings about
themselves and their
bodies. They can also
talk about what they
enjoyed learning about
in the workshop.
A conversation circle
Say: We are going to end this workshop with a conversation circle.
Say: Please sit in a circle. Each person will now have a
turn to tell us how she feels about what she learned today.
What was best? What was not good? Are we happy? Are
we tired?
We have learned many things today. We have worked
hard and our heads are full of new words and new
thoughts.
Key messages
Go around the circle
again to get a commitment to action.
If anyone is troubled at
the end of the workshop, take some time to
talk with her or him. Go
over any of the information that was talked
about in the workshop.
If necessary, refer that
person to a doctor,
nurse or health worker
for more information.
24
Say: It is important to remember the following points:
o Our right to control our bodies starts with knowing
our bodies, which helps us understand how an illness
can affect us; and
o Women and men have a right to control and make
decisions about their bodies.
Say: Based on what we learned today, what action will
you take? We will go around the circle to say one thing
that we are going to do.
I
!
Your body