Rise 2 Shine Project will empower 1500 school going adolescents in the Hardap Region of Namibia through Behavior Change Communication strategies to make healthy and positive decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health lifestyles by end 2023. Through face-to-face prevention interventions, and a youth conference R2S will built self-esteem of these adolescents to confidently say NO to early sexual encounters and/or be able to negotiate safer sex methods.
Statistics on teen pregnancies indicated that 5500 teenage pregnancies were recorded in the Hardap Region of Namibia over a period of ten years , 2012 to 2022. In 2020 the Hardap Region ranked 12th out of 14 regions with 89 teenage pregnancies. However, in the last semester of 2021 alone a total of 84 learners fell pregnant with the majority of 59%, being18 years and younger. This project will empower 1000 adolescent learners to delay first sexual debut and early unintended pregnancies.
R2S will engage 20 Peer Educators to run clubs using evidence based Behavior Change Communication prevention intervention manuals in face-to-face-setup. Our focus is on abstinence education programs, encouraging young people to delay sexual activities as long as possible, teach them that human sexual relationships are predominantly emotional and moral rather than merely physical in character; and that teen abstinence is an important step towards a loving marital relationship as an adult.
1000 young adolescents will be empowered to make healthy and positive decisions to delay early sexual debut as long as possible which in turn allow them to finish their school career. They will also have the knowledge and self-esteem to negotiate safer sex options when needed and/or when in abusive relationships. By delaying their sexual activities these young people safeguard their lives against HIV/AIDS and other STD's which in turn provide for their future families' health and well-being.
This project has provided additional documentation in a XLSX file (projdoc.xlsx).
