A significant organizational learning early on was that interventions where the scope of action is only on the streets was limited. That specific projects directed at the adolescent street girls are inadequate if there is no change in their social environment. Consequently, capacity building will only work with the participation of the broader community.
With the boys
Taking off from the analysis that the girls’ only support structure in the streets is the male-dominated street gangs, Tambayan started including the boys in awareness raising activities. Also, it was clear that male peers on the streets themselves perpetuate abusive relations and that the girls felt helpless in this regard. The girls themselves brought along their partners for gender and reproductive health education, as well as for STD-screening and counseling services.
Both adolescent street boys and girls participated in a participatory action research conducted in 1999. The research established data on the situation of street adolescents in gangs, as well as provided a venue for learning during the process of the research in itself. While the joint participation of boys and girls was fruitful, there came a point when the boys were more active than the girls in Tambayan activities. The staff noted that the boys exhibited a stronger sense of future that motivated them more to strive in improving themselves and their situation.
However, the girls’ seemingly less enthusiasm was not without deep-seated reasons. The girls’ additional gender-based predicaments were already imbibed that it was more difficult for them to be more in control and active in improving their lives. But this is not to say that they did not want to.
Organizational priorities and strategies were then reviewed and the learning reiterated that it was because of this precise gender-based difference in situation that Tambayan decided to focus on street girls in the first place. Currently, while contact with boys in gangs are maintained, they are considered as support groups to the girls and not necessarily direct beneficiaries of the organization’s programs and services.