Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization has called on parents in Karonga District to open up to their children on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in an effort to end unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections and diseases amongst youths.
Programs manager for the organization, Gomezgani Mhango made the remarks on Monday at an outreach clinic that the organization conducted at Tilora Primary School in the District.
In her opening speech, she said parents are leaders in their families and know their children better hence bearing responsibility to guide their children well on SRHR at family level.
“We are calling upon all parents to speak up on issues of SRHR to their children in their families, most young people become pregnant at an early stage and in unplanned way, so parents being leaders at family level, you know your children better. Guide them to reduce cases of unplanned pregnancies,” she said.
She has further tasked youths that are sexually active to make proper use of outreach clinics to live better and healthy lives.
On his part, Karonga District Youth Officer, Lapken Liwago lauded the organization for conducting the outreach clinic saying it has helped in addressing SRH issues by bringing SRH services closer to community members.
“These outreach clinics are improving issues of access to SRH services in the district where the organization is implementing its project because it brings services closer to communities thereby shortening distances that people travel,” he said.
Concurring with Liwago, Guest of honour who was representing Traditional Authority Wasambo at the event, Harry Mhango said outreach clinics that Pamoza Tingakwaniska is conducting have proved to be essential in fighting unplanned pregnancies and empowering youths.
At the outreach clinic, people received services like HIV testing and counselling and Family planning methods of different types and the event was spiced up with traditional dances, drama, poetry and football bonanza.
The organization is conducting outreach clinics under its ‘Wanangwa Wane’ project with financial support from Breuckmann Foundation and German Government Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation Development.
