Activity

As one way of interacting with the community Youth with Talents Organization through its Theater department thought it wise that communities have power to change things in their areas cause they live with problems and they are the best solution to their own problems，Youth with Talents Organization think that if these people are given platform to deal with their challenges they are facing day by day they can bring positive change of their areas. Because of this understanding YWT established a theater group with 100% community Participation THEATER FOR DEVELOPMENT. Over the time YWT have come o realize that this is the easiest as well friendly way people can get information and understand if better especially when dealing with crucial issues like health, education and governance. It is therefore very significant to involve the communities in planning, implementation and evaluating activity because they are best partners in problem solving.

During this sexual reproductive health rights activity performance the following sexual reproductive health rights issues were covered;

Adolescent growth and development

This topic aimed at addressing issues youth and children between ages of 10 to 18 years face during the puberty to adolescence stage. This topic prepared the mind and understanding of young people to take charge of their physical, cognitive, social, emotional and psychological challenges cause these affects behavior in one way or another. The topic provides basic information on growth and development; it also identifies myths and misconceptions relating to adolescence with and without disabilities. The topic explains physical changes and needs youth and children encounters during puberty to adolescence stage

Sexual health and rights

This topic defines sexuality. May people include youth and children don't understand or differentiate sex and sexuality. These issues include knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values and behavior of individuals. These include anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the sexual response, identity, orientation, roles and personality and thoughts, feelings and relationships. This expression of sexuality is influenced by ethical, spiritual, cultural and moral concerns such as virginity, virility good versus bad sex, for instance sexual rights. The topic provide understanding real information on terms sex, sexuality, sexual health and sexual rights, myths and misconceptions surrounds sexual health amongst youth and children.

Common sexual health problems

This topic inform the participants some of the sexual health problems adolescents face, the aim was to equip youth and children and communities with information about common sexual health problems, their consequences and how to prevent/ overcome . Some of these problems being teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDs. The topic covers the preventive measures youth and children as well communities can follow these include abstinence, use of contraceptives and behavior chance. Causes of these problems were covered.

Access to sexual reproductive health services

This topic shared information to the audience where they can get access to sexual reproductive health information and services. It also clear the mindset of audience on other information they don't understand like sexual reproductive health services for young people, where they can access them in their local areas. The topic inform the community other youth friendly facilities like family Planning Association of Malawi, Banja La Mstogolo, Ministry of Health (Health Centers in their local set ups)
According to reports and statistics there are a lot of problems youth and children are facing one of the problems being sexual reproductive health rights, this is due to lack of information, Myths and negligence by parents not discussing with their children on sexual reproductive health rights issues. This has made a lot of youth and children enter into problems unknowingly or due to ignorance on how their body functions when they are growing. The topics listed above are facing a lot of barriers due to cultural, religious, social and psychological aspects. Sexual reproductive health rights issues are still taboo in other cultural and religious set ups hence very important to be shared to those that affect them especially youth and children. In order to break this culture of silence Plan Malawi together with Youth with Talents have joined hands to reach out to youth and children as well communities.

Knowledge Gap

Some parents do not understand sexual reproductive issues properly for instance at Kavizinde parent refuse to that youth and children should discuss SRHR issues with parents, saying it，s a taboo, while at Chejewazi parents were not comfortable to interact with children on sexual Reproductive Health issues
Lack of information on condom use amongst the youth and children of child bearing age
Lack of information on child rights amongst communities hence contributing to high abuse of children
Family planning issues amongst youth and children not accepted by parents e.g. Kavizinde, Mlenje and Chikwawa sites
In other communities parents lack information on Youth friendlily Health services

Challenges

Mobilization in other places communities were attending due to poor mobilization
Timing, the activity was not given enough time for planning especially the consultant
Resources, the activity budget had a lot of short falls due to change of price on the market
Distance, some areas were far which contributes to double resource like fuel
Vehicle breakdown due to poor road network
Lack of IEC material on sexual reproductive health services
Rainfall
Low participation of men

ACTIVITY RESULT

Number of the sessions I performance conducted
Number of people participated and take part during the drama performance
Youth and children were able to speak in presence of parents and Chiefs
Number of contraceptives distributed (about 7000 male condoms were distributed)
Number of youth and children empowered with sexual reproductive health information
Number of un answered health questions taken care of.
Information gaps on sexual reproductive health rights information established

Emerging Issues

In most of the zones it was discovered that parents were not agreeing to a point of using condoms to young people who cannot abstain from sexual practices, saying ifs a taboo for youths to use or being found with (condoms) contraceptives.
It was also noted that adults were bound to ask/comment freely during activities because of multiage (children), therefore mechanism must be put in place to provide them with adequate information on SRHR and youth friendly, for them to help the youths.
To end violence against women and girls including domestic violence: other women and girls were not allowed to attend these activities cause of household chores and other related
People were asking for food relief both for community and schools
A lot of young people are engaged in early marriages

RECOMMENDATION

There is urgent need to come up with sexual reproductive health rights focus group discussions with parents in the following areas, Kavizinde, Petros, Chejewazi and Milenje. Parents seem to have a lot of disagreements talking issues of SRHR with their children
Plan should try to find other means of meeting the school going youth and children, in other sites the activities were delaying because most of the communities use school ground.
Plan needs to put in place mechanisms that would stimulate value addition to its SRHR activities such as community games for youth and children for them to continue sharing SRHR information whist they are home. During community sessions a lot of youth and children seen to less information on SRHR, poor participation, failing to define SRHR problems. Especially the areas with little attendances
Plan should consider building the capacity hence increasing the number of 18
Plan to come up with simple translated Convention on the rights of the children (CRC) for the communities to have understanding of it for the betterment of youth and children.

Conclusion

Sexual reproductive health rights remains crucial issue amongst youth and children, these group are always victims because they don't have access to information on sexual reproductive services, according to ministry of health reports they are a lot of teen pregnancies, issues abortions, HIV/AIDs and family planning are registered high. This means that young people are actively engaging sexual relationships. These problems also contribute to high rate of school drop outs amongst the young people. It is important to start teaching these youth and children different health issues for the health growth and development of their being. Philosophy says teach children while they are young so that they may not depart from the right path.

Ministry of health is working very hard to make sure that health service are youth friendly, service provider are trained on YFHS in order to handle these youth and children properly when they go to seek services at the health facilities. It is our thought that Plan will maintain its activities and scale up to other zones in Kasungu District so that young people are protected against all forms of harm and abuse.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE WHOLE ACTIVITY