New-Member Bio - Kathy Tate-Bradish
Kristin Brown introduced Kathy Tate-Bradish, the ELRC’s newest member and the founder of The ABC’s of Sex Education. Kathy’s presentation blended a new member bio with a program about an innovative 501(c)3 working in Kenya.
Kathy began by saying that she was “ridiculously excited” to be a Rotarian. Serendipity has played a large role in her life, leading to wonderful opportunities and very satisfying volunteer work. During Bob & Kathy’s 38+ years of marriage, they have lived in 14 homes/apartments in three states and four European countries.
A high school German teacher, Kathy also attended law school, passing the bar but moving to Germany for Bob’s job before she had a chance to practice law. From there, they moved on to Switzerland, then Evanston, New York, Austria, Connecticut and England. Over time, their family grew. (They are the parents of three grown daughters.)
Wherever Kathy’s lived, she has found volunteer outlets -- prisons, language training, schools. In Evanston, Kathy has been a long-standing and active League of Women Voters volunteer. While volunteering at a London inner city school in 2004, Kathy met Melissa Johns and her husband Nick who suggested that she might enjoy volunteering in Kenya. She took their advice and her life trajectory changed. She now spends part of each year working in Kenya, doing something she loves.
Prior to her first trip to Kenya, wanting to “add some value,” Kathy researched solar funnel cookers made from simple household items. She and her daughter Julie traveled to Kenya to introduce this technology to the community.
The cooker idea was well-received by the women of the community, but they also asked questions – about condoms, how one catches AIDS, etc. Kathy saw a need there and began writing her own sex ed curriculum, focused on reducing the risks of HIV, early pregnancy, and STD’s.
A "Social Entrepreneur," Kathy is the founder and CEO of the ABC’s of Sex Education, Making Wise Decisions. The ABC’s are:
Abstain
Be Faithful
Use Condoms
These ABC’s are part of the international protocol for comprehensive sex education. Kenya, however, does not use this protocol, relying instead on an “abstinence only until marriage” position. As a result, unwanted pregnancies and HIV are very common.
The idea is to train farmers who are literate in English in HIV prevention and sex education. (English is the language of instruction in Kenya.) These trained volunteers then take their knowledge to the community, instructing in Swahili or other local languages.
Neighbors train neighbors, using this “peer to peer” model, and they also work with middle and high schools. More recently, they’ve begun to train women to hand sew washable, reusable sanitary pads, allowing girls to maintain their dignity, stay in school, and avoid the transactional sex that was often their only means of earning money for feminine products.
The organization uses a behavior change curriculum. To have a positive impact, the rural Kenyans need both knowledge and skills. Kathy’s organization must counter the Bible-based attitude of many Kenyans. Her program is blunt, scientific, interactive, and fact-based.
The organization employs a Managing Director, 12 paid educators and 36 volunteer educators. To date, they have reached more than 54,000 Kenyans. They are improving their data collection, developing partnerships, and becoming an NGO.
Outcomes have been very positive.
Married to a retired strategist, it’s no surprise that Kathy’s organization has a Three-Year Plan – and an exit strategy. They are working to demonstrate impact, incorporate their program into the Kenyan school curriculum, and transition in three years to local leadership.
For more information, check out their website: www.ABCsofSex-Ed.org.
If you’re on social media, follow Kathy on Twitter, “like” her organization on Facebook, and welcome her to our Club!
