Progress Through Resistance
Lessons from Ethiopia
by Valerie Uccellani
GLP Partner & Certified Dialogue Education Teacher
When I hear talk about resistance I get all riled up. For those
who know me, you might notice I can get riled up about a lot of
things. But on the heels of a three week trip to Ethiopia, I’m
feeling particularly riled up about the idea of resistance.
Resistance is a message. Resistance, particularly if we don’t
understand the source of it, is a sign to me that something ain’t
right. And thank heavens for resistance or we would never have
change.
In Ethiopia I was working with the Health Communication
Partnership (HCP) to design and launch a project with sex workers to
bolster their personal safety, and protect against the spread of
sexually-transmitted infections. It is certainly not the first
project of its type; nor will it be the last. But, HCP is doing
something different this time; they are using a true
learning-centered approach to all interactions with sex workers,
bar/ hotel owners and, ultimately, clients.
The first phase of the project was a real success, in my eyes.
Did we encounter resistance? Gratefully, yes – which is why I say we
were successful.
To start, we had gatherings with owners and managers. They liked
some of our ideas about selling subsidized condoms right there at
the bars and hotels. They supported the idea of peer leaders coming
to their venues to meet with the women there who do sex work. But
they told us there’s no way they could go up to a client and talk to
them about using condoms. Most said they weren’t going to tell women
to go for regular clinic checkups–much less pay for them. Some told
us what we wanted to hear, but most–praise be!–told us the truth.
That’s voiced resistance and that, in my experience, is what we
want.
As part of our project launch, we also hooked into an Association
of Sex Workers semi-established in Addis Ababa. The women selected a
group of 22 peers who would be the first group to make visits to
venues and meet with other sex workers. Our initial sessions with
the 22 peer leaders lasted 3 days. Each evening I went back to my
hotel confused. These women were not who I “expected” to meet. Yes,
they were young and some weren’t well, physically. Sex work is not
easy on the body, or soul, I believe. But, many were extremely
sharp, clear, and self-confident. They took good care of themselves
and didn’t seem desperate to find any other kind of work (which in
Addis right now is practically impossible anyway). We told them from
day one – we want you to work with us to design this project.
Whenever we’re doing something or saying something that isn’t right,
let us know. And, for the most part, I think they did.
What struck me in terms of their resistance was:
- how freely they expressed it; and,
- how dependent it was on the reality in which they live.
Expressed Resistance
In one of the activities of the peer leader training, we taught about common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and how often they don’t show any lasting symptoms. We shared examples of other countries where sex workers are required to get monthly check ups for STIs.
Then, we set up a debate in which one group argued that “all sex workers should try to make monthly visits to clinics for checkups.” The other group would argue that “we should only go to clinics when we need to go.”
Boy did they get into it. They had so many good arguments on both sides, I left unsure of what I wanted us to "teach."
I heard resistance to the idea, and resistance to the resistance, and it was grand.
What shocked me, however, was what the trainers said after the activity was over. They didn’t like it.
They said they didn’t like the idea of a debate because “someone has to win.” They were worried that the team arguing against regular visits might actually convince the others and then, we’re in trouble – since that isn’t what we were “trying to teach.”
Oh my. Again, I wanted to tell them they were wrong. I explained that the whole purpose of the activity was to let people’s inner resistance come to the surface. We could let them leave the session without saying what they thought but, that wouldn’t do any good. It’s better to let them search for arguments here, and voice them, rather than to let them leave with them. Isn’t it?
Resistance Born of Reality
In the next activity, we lay out the locations of clinics in the neighborhoods of this group of sex workers. HCP realized that part of the apparent resistance to the idea of making clinic visits was born of the fact that the women didn’t know the clinics, and didn’t have referrals to get services at low cost. So, HCP
set up an agreement with a private network of clinics and arranged to get referrals for the women for initial visits so that the cost of the visit was very affordable. (Kudos to the HCP Director for her relentless commitment to get this through the bureaucracy). We invited a super personable nurse from the clinics to meet the women. They bombarded the nurse with questions – and he answered them so directly, so clearly. I felt the resistance go down.
HCP is just starting to field test the program and we have a long way to go before we know whether change happens.
But, right now, that’s not how I’m measuring success. For me, success is the amount of resistance heard and heeded.
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