LoveLife inspires the youth to face challenges head-on
In an active struggle against social and health challenges currently affecting the youth in Limpopo, LoveLife has been a constant presence that is there for the youth.
POLOKWANE – July Ndima, the District Programmes Coordinator, shared that there are different programmes available to assist young people through life.
The Health4Life is a sexual and reproductive health programme aimed at informing and educating young people about knowing and understanding body changes, adolescent stages, basic HIV/aids information and teenage pregnancy for children at primary school level. High school learners get information about teenage pregnancy, contraception, HIV/aids, sexual transmitted infections, drug and substance abuse as well as gender-based violence.
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Another programme is Living My Life, a motivational programme which inspires young people to stand their ground and face challenges head-on.
This programme aims to motivate young people to be part of the solution by setting goals and planning their future by living a positive lifestyle.
LoveLife also has health talks which educate and inform young people on specific issues through campaigns according to the Department of Health calendar and programmes such as Condom Week and 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.
The sessions are done at schools, in the community and at clinics.
LoveLife also engages with schools and the community through various events such as the Born Free Dialogue (BFD), a dialogue which involves parents, youth and community stakeholders to interact on issues which affect them to seek a solution. Another way LoveLife engages with the community is through the Youth Festival where young people express their talents through sport, arts and culture activities and are educated on specific health issues.
“As much as LoveLife would like to be omnipresent around the province, they are only able to reach limited areas in all the districts as per the Department of Health priority areas. Another challenge they face is the lack of parent participation in the dialogues held at schools. They also experience a similar problem when it comes to parental meetings at schools. The programmes are well-received at schools because they have been aligned with the curriculum.
“The demand of the programmes is a sign they help the youth who are more open to share their personal challenges which we refer to relevant institutions. We encourage schools and NGOs to partner with us whenever they have programmes or events to ensure we reach out to areas where there is no LoveLife sites to spread the behaviour change and positive lifestyle education,” Ndima said.
He added LoveLife salutes the support it receives from the Department of Health, Department of Education, school management teams and community stakeholders because it enables them to do more when they come together to tackle social and health challenges head-on.
Contact the LoveLife centre at 0800 121 100 or 0800 121 900, or send a Please Call Me to 083 323 1023.
The LoveLife office number is (011) 523 1000 or alternatively send an e-mail to jndima@lovelife.org.za.
