PPASL Trains Young People On Sexual Reproductive Health

By Marilyn King

The Planned Parenthood Association Sierra Leone (PPASL) over the weekend trained youth and women groups in demand generation and advocacy on Adolescence Sexual Reproductive Health at PPASL Head office, Freetown.

The Youth Activist, and Communication lead of PPASL, Yemeh Koroma, said that young people should identify the problems affecting Young People in their community. He continued that young people should engage people in their community, school going pupils in Adolescence Sexual Reproductive Health issues. He noted that the things that are affecting young people are, drugs abuse, teenage pregnancy, STI’s among others. He stated that the rate of family planning contraception has increased from 15% to 21% also noting that mental issues are also affecting young people. He furthered that Adolescence is a transitional stage; dealing from childhood to adulthood, which is from 10- 19 years. He stated that the rate of maternal mortality is seven hundred and seventeen, and teenage pregnancy is 28%, HIV is 1.7% STI’s is on increased, and Cervical Cancer is on the rampage.

The YAMSAL President of Youth Advocacy, SRHR champion public speaker and Health Communicator Pharmacist Buya Nabie Bangura, said they targeted young people from different regions to bring them together to trained them on Adolescence Sexual Reproductive Health, so that they can take the message to their community and engage others. He maintained that they decided to be able to guide young people through orientation, to know about leadership to be their roles as young people to promote health outcomes and challenges. He noted that the reason why they decided to bring them together, is to address the sexual reproductive health issues in their community, schools, and family members. He concluded that at the end of the training the young people and young women will have the right knowledge to engage their constituents on their community and organizations and they will be a supportive pillars in their community levels.