HER Foundation aims to break barriers between young and old when talking about sex
Prudence Mathekga is a young woman who wants to make talking about sex between young and old, less of a taboo.
POLOKWANE – The 21-year-old started the HER Foundation after noticing how many young people fall pregnant. The HER Foundation is an educational programme designed to equip young people with everything they need regarding sex education and how they can make informed decisions when it comes to their sexuality.
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Despite the name of her foundation, Prudence assures it will benefit both girls and boys.
“I was once at Ga-Matlala and realised too many young girls were pregnant. It seemed like they were competing. It broke my heart and I realised young people get to a certain age and become curious about sex. They however, don’t have an adult to guide them in the right direction, instead they end up being misled by their peers. This is how the idea for the foundation came about, to provide a safe platform to have those conversations that are uncomfortable to have,” she explained.
She believes sex should be spoken about openly to help young people make the right decisions. She added that, although some people may think it’s wayward to have such conversations or that it promotes promiscuity, she believes many young people are naturally curious and would want to explore at some point, hence it’s best to have them know all there is to know, so they can protect themselves.
“I promote abstinence but realistically speaking, it’s not always possible to tell young people not to have sex. The next best thing is to teach them how to be safe. Let them know all about the risks involved when it comes to sex,” she said.
The objective of HER Foundation is to lessen teen pregnancies. The foundation aims to give more than just talks to young people, as she would like to implement after school programmes like debate, sport and pageants to keep the youth occupied.
“I have big plans for the foundation and would like to reach a larger group of young people. I just don’t have the money and manpower to put all my plans into actions. Thus far the people I have approached, have been unable to assist me,” she said.
Prudence explained that people sometimes doubt her by looking at her small stature and the fact that she is young.
“I may be young and people may think I don’t have enough experience to be ‘guiding’ other young people, but my message is age doesn’t define maturity and reason. I am passionate about bringing change to my community and I am ready to prove all those in doubt wrong. Age cannot be a determining factor for making the right decisions,” she concluded.
