By Kuda Pembere
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Zimbabwe belatedly commemorated the Day of the African Child at the Village of Hope in Harare educating pupils from various schools in Mabelreign district on the dangers of early sexual encounters and early child marriages.
At a time when the country is battling with early child marriages and teenage pregnancies through comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), AHF Zimbabwe Prevention Manager Mr Clever Taderera said the event was themed, “fostering health and education through CSE.”
“Today, we have been commemorating a day of the African child. Though belated, it should be commemorated on the 16th of June every year. But because of other competing priorities, we decided to commemorate it today here at the Village of Hope Institute.
“And we have been commemorating this under the theme of “Fostering health and education through comprehensive sexuality education.”
“And the essence really behind our theme is to try and provide a platform for learners to be empowered or to be equipped with information to do with sexual reproductive health,” he said.
The event was arranged in two parts where high school learners were discussing issues such as how to approach their parents on sexuality which they found difficult. The other part included plays, poems and dances mixing the SRH element and the Day of the African Child.
With the proliferation of mobile smart phones amongst these teens rife, they are exposed to all kinds of content, including inappropriate material like pornography, which the head of Cornelius Hope Academy Primary School Mr Daniel Kufakwatenzi said the learners to guard themselves from.
“We are so much delighted to have this program running because it means a lot to our learners, especially focusing on the theme that we have been running with this current year, which states that fostering health education through comprehensive sexuality education.
“It means a lot to our learners to bring about the realization that as they focus on school, it is also imperative for them to also realize the fact that they are growing and also how to manage themselves in these trying times, especially with the challenges that are brought about by technology.
“I know they are so much exposed to a lot of things at their age. So for them to be able to manage that, they need such platforms for them to be able to discuss, open up and get information that is really appropriate at their level for them to be able to k now how to manage themselves,” he said.
Other schools present at the event included Cornelius Hope Academy Secondary School, ZRP Mabelreign Primary School, Alfred Beit Primary School, Good Hope Learning Centre and Makause High School.
This is the fourth year running AHF Zimbabwe has been holding the Day of the African Child commemorations at the Village of Hope.
