Traditional and faith leaders in Nsanje, Chikwawa and Machinga districts have intensified awareness on the importance of scaling up access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services among women and youths.
In Nsanje, group village head (GVH) Chisi is taking advantage of sporting activities to reach out to the youth with SRH messages.
sheikhs. | Martin Gela Jnr
“During sporting activities, I encourage them to abstain from sex or use contraceptives such as condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies,” he said.
On his part, GVH Chipwaila from Traditional Authority (T/A) Ngabu in Teleka (2nd L) and Chidziwitsano pose with their dummy cheques. I Vincent Khonje
Chikwawa said she uses her counsellors to promote SRH messages.
In Machinga, the Reverend Ned Gona of Mbenjere CCAP in Ntaja uses the pulpit to encourage women and the youth to embrace SRH services.
He emphasised that only adults should go into marriage while young people should concentrate on education.
“The importance of marriage is exemplified in 2 Kings 4: 8-17 and Proverbs 5: 1-11,” said Gona.
Nsanje District Church Action in Relief and Development (Card) SRHR project coordinator Jemimah Phiri, whose organisation is implementing an SRH
project with funding from the Norwegian Church Aid and DanChurchAid (NCA-DCA), commended the traditional and faith leaders for escalating SRH messages.
“We have addressed teen pregnancies and terminated child marriages under the project. Children are now returning to school,” he said.
On his part, Find Your Feet field officer Faith Nkosi Kayuni, whose organisation is implementing the same project in T/A Kawinga in Machinga, said they are working with pastors and sheikhs to protect children from marriages.
NCA-DCA communications officer Francis Botha said the project seeks to reduce teen pregnancies and early marriages.
“I am pleased with the innovations employed by traditional and faith leaders in the dissemination of SRH messages,” he said.
