Organisations join forces to prevent teen pregnancy in Mams
The purpose of the awareness programme is to empower teenagers with skills, knowledge to prevent teenage pregnancies, promote safe sex practices and encourage responsible life choices and provide support for pregnant teenagers.
A teenage pregnancy campaign was held at the Tshwane Child Welfare centre in Mamelodi West on Monday, July 21, focused on encouraging teens to make informed decisions over their futures.
Nkuna said the programme conducted over three sessions aimed to:
– give them the knowledge to prevent teenage pregnancies
– promote safe sex practices
– encourage responsible life choices
– provide support for pregnant teenagers.
Nkuna said the first session was about reproductive health and safe sex practices.
“Teenagers were educated about how their bodies function, reproductive health and the importance of protecting themselves through safe sex eg contraception condoms, [and sexually transmitted disease] prevention,” said Nkuna.
She said the second session detailed the consequences of teenage pregnancy, highlighting the physical, emotional, social, educational, and financial impact that falling pregnant at a young age can have.
The third session encouraged teenagers to focus on their dreams, aspirations, and help them develop realistic short term and long term goals to stay motivated to avoid risky behaviour.
The programme helped the participants understand the long term effect of teen pregnancy on their future.
Nkuna was happy with the response from the teenagers, who took the programme very seriously.
Bennit Maponya from Ditlalemeso organisation said the programme was very informative for the learners, adding that it was designed specially for learners both in high and primary school.
Other attendees at the programme represented the departments of health and of social welfare, the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender, Ditlalemeso Organisation, Bona Tumi, The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, and Tshwane Child Welfare.
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