NGO takes reproductive health services to youths

Girls Activists Youth Organisation (Gayo) is taking sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to the youth in rural communities in Mchinji through fairs.

In an interview on Monday, Gayo programmes manager Gilbert M’bwana said they launched a series of fairs to ensure that the youth have access to essential SRH information and services.

“Some young people in Mchinji District are grappling with sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies and early marriages. It is imperative, therefore, that we engage the youth in SRH issues,” he said.

Mchinji district youth officer Maudling Nhlema commended Gayo’s efforts to take SRH fairs to young people.

He said: “Some youths have contracted sexually transmitted infections while others have reported unplanned pregnancies.

“These fairs are crucial as they provide essential services, including HIV testing, voluntary male medical circumcision, contraceptives and general counselling to the youth.”

Kapondo Youth Network member Sheila Banda thanked Gayo for conducting the fair in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kapondo which enabled the youth to access SRH services.

“I am pleased that we had an SRH fair in our community where we accessed various services,” she said.

Banda said the fairs simplified access to SRH services compared to visiting healthcare facilities.

During the SRH fair held at Chankhanga Primary School in T/A Kapondo, the youth enjoyed a number of activities, including football and netball matches, acrobatics and dances.

Gayo is implementing Sexuality Education for Transformation (SET) project under the Girls Education Advocacy in the Region in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola.

In Malawi, SET project is implemented in Mchinji and Salima districts with funding from Amplify Change.

Mchinji is one of the districts where young people drop out of school due to unplanned pregnancies and early marriages.