social commentary:with Moses Mugugunyeki
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are an important component in youths’ lives; therefore it is crucial to recognise the role young people play in delivering effective SRHR programmes and improved health outcomes.
Sexual and reproductive health pertains to the state of physical, mental and social well-being in all matters related to the reproductive system.
It is against this background that the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) last week convened a youth camp in Marondera for more than 100 young people drawn from across the country.
The five-day long gathering, which was running under the theme Empowering young people to make healthy life decisions, drew students from tertiary institutions, mainly local universities and out-of-school youths between the ages of 17 and 35 years.
ZRCS recently launched its youth wing, which is called the Youth Development Department (YDD), whose youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health programmes are “aimed at having a society of empowered youths who are able to make informed decisions regarding their health”.
YDD convened the youth camp, which was held at a Karumazondo Camp Site on the outskirts of Marondera town, where youths engaged in dialogue, workshops and capacity building sessions regarding SRHR, non-communicable diseases and sexual gender-based violence issues.
“We are gathered here as youths to interchange ideas and engage on issues surrounding SRHR, non-communicable diseases and sexual gender-based violence,” YDD’s Silethemba Joyln Maphosa.
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“At the end of the day, we want to come up with young people who are able to make informed decisions regarding their health.”
Maphosa said the youth camp, which was interspersed by games, drama and quiz, also brought youths in touch with their peers; influential speakers and development partners from Denmark understand the position of SRHR, non-communicable diseases and sexual gender-based violence among young people in Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony on Wednesday, ZRCS vice-president Tsitsi Angela Sigauke, who was standing in for ZRCS president Edison Mlambo, said the organisation was rallying behind youths’ developmental programmes.
“I want to reassure you that as the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, we are committed to supporting youth activities to achieve and surpass their set goals and objectives,” Sigauke said.
“We want youths to be better placed to fight the challenges of their time. The challenges which range from early pregnancies in adolescents, sexually transmitted infections, gender-based violence, maternal mortalities and child marriages which are all exacerbated in the context of man-made and natural disasters.
“The youth constitute more than 71% of members and volunteers within the global Red Cross Movement and as such form the basis of our human capital to drive the humanitarian agenda. Therefore, investing in such is wisdom.”
She said ZRCS valued youth involvement in the organisation’s interventions, hence the reason ZRCS established a specifically-dedicated and youth-led department to focus on youth development initiatives.
“With the support of the Danish Red Cross, we are running two youth-led projects, namely the Youth Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, which addresses sexual and gender-based violence and advocates for the girl child in menstrual hygiene issues; and the second being the non-communicable disease project, which aims to have a resilient community of youths who are leading healthy lifestyles,” said YDD coordinator June Munyongani.
ZRCS humanitarian ambassador Alick Macheso graced the youth camp and urged youths to devise innovative ways towards addressing issues that affect their health.
“I urge you to stick to your guns and concentrate on what makes your life worthwhile,” Macheso said.
Munyongani said the youth camp, which is an important event on the ZRCS youth calendar provided a conducive and friendly space for young people to discuss, learn and share the best practices towards championing their works on SRHR, non-communicable diseases and sexual gender-based violence issues.
ZRCS national youth president Munyaradzi Katiro said youth projects within Red Cross were meant to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours and health-related quality of life for young people.
Katiro is a medical doctor and beneficiary of the ZRCS’s orphan and vulnerable children support programme.
The ZRCS national youth council is a group of 13 youth members who represent and serve the youth volunteers of the organisation.
