Young Talk, February 2008

Vol. 11 No.2 Feb 2008

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

•Know your rights •Stay in school

Sex education for primary schools

•Delay sex

What manners do you have? Welcome back from the long holidays. We hope you enjoy 2008. But for you to enjoy, you need to have good manners.

Helping others

Manners are ways in which you behave.

When I got home, my mother beat me for taking long. I later told her why I delayed. Although she had beaten me, I felt good because I had helped the old woman.

Manner can be good or bad. Good manners (values) can help you succeed in what you do at home, school or in your community. In this Young Talk, read about what Young Talkers in Yumbe district have done and feel proud about. Do you think they have good manners?

One day my mother sent me to the market. On my way, I met a very old woman carrying heavy luggage. She looked tired. I helped her with the luggage.

I learnt to be kind from my father. He used to help people in need. Zubeda Yassin, Acholi PS

Protecting animals

Zubeda Yassin carried luggage for an old woman

y father had many animals. We would graze them together. At first I hated it, but after sometime, I started enjoying looking after animals. I feel bad when they fall sick. My father taught me to handle animals well. They also have a right to live.

M Good can manners u help yo succeed

One day I found people stoning our neighbour's goat. It had eaten their cassava. I stopped them and took the goat to our neighbour. He was so thankful. When I was sent away for school fees, he gave me the money and I went back to school. I believe he helped me because I saved his goat. Ismail Zalika, Agongo PS

Just like Zalika, good manners can bring about good results. Bad manners can lead you into danger. Read more about how to behave on page 2. d if • You will be respecte rs you have good manne ey • Avoid bad groups; th d can teach you ba `manners • Stand for your values

• What do you think about Zubeda and Yassin's stories? • Would you have done the same ? • Have you ever done something you are proud of? Share your stories with your friends. • What manners do you think can make you and your parents proud?

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YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

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Good behaviour protects you are sorry for your friend . Do not despise your friend.

Listening to your mother

You are lucky to have a good mother. Stay close to her and learn more about the important things in life from her.

I live with my mother. She pays my school fees. I have a friend who is always advising me to get a boyfriend. I stood firm and refused. I advised her against getting boyfriends when you are still young. She refused to change. I decided to leave her. She got pregnant and dropped out of school and is now suffering. Lillian Asibazuyo, Iyolo PS Young Talk says: Lillian, well done for critically thinking about your friend who could have led you into problems. You moved away from her and stayed safe for now. We

Good manners help to keep you safe from early sex with all its problems. Talk to your mother about menstruation, breasts, boys and your sexual feelings.

Lillian Asibazuyo

For Teachers manners You can know a child's good or bad they how and says and does he he/s t by wha rs. othe relate with ty to However, manners differ from socie new society. People can change and learn manners. ls to tell Teacher, you need to help your pupi ptable) and the difference between good (acce them bad (unacceptable) behaviours. Let achieve them help will that rs viou beha know roy them. Falal Lobanga, their goals and those that can dest Talk ight Stra or, nsel Cou

Hard work On weekends I sell tomatoes in the market. In dry season I quarry stones and sell a basin at 1000/=. It is not easy getting a full basin in a day. It can take three days. I avoid going for discos. While there, friends can influence you to have sex. Alikt Odoru, 14, P6, Barakala PS, Yumbe

Nightmares: Very frightening dreams Opportunities: Chances Torture: Causing pain Unpleasant: Unenjoyable

• • • • • • • •

Being honest/upright Working hard Having self-control Being tolerant Respecting yourself Respecting others Being helpful Committing yourself to excellence in all you do.

PLE Stars

Respect and hardwork made me succeed. Angella Nakiguli of Sir Apollo Kaggwa scored aggregate 4. She was one of the best PLE pupils in Kampala. Henry Kijjambu is an orphan. He sat for his PLE at Kidde Boarding PS, Wakiso. He says hard work and using opportunities well made him suc cee d.

Dictionary: Despise: Make someone feel useless Excel: Succeed Honesty: Telling the truth Misery: Great suffering

Good manners include:

Courtesy photos: New Vision

Good behaviours help you excel

Behaviour you need to avoid in 2008 Dear Young Talkers This is a new year. It comes with a lot of good things. Most of you have joined new classes. Some have joined new schools. Some of you have new responsibilities in your school. To have a successful year, can you

Drinking alcohol Alcohol is dangerous. It changes the way you think and feel. So you can easily get raped or defile someone. • Alcohol also causes fighting and accidents. Have you seen your parents or neighbours drunk and fighting? It is a terrible thing.

remember the behaviours that will help you stay safe and get what you want. There are also some bad behaviours you need to avoid. Here is a list. • Missing school without a good reason • Going home late

• Teasing, bullying, torturing others • Fighting • Refusing to help with work at home and school • Stealing • Touching the bodies of classmates • Telling lies, making excuses

Having sex If you have sex, you risk pregnancy or impregnating a girl. This can lead to being chased from school and home. You can end up in misery. You can also get HIV/STDs. No matter how strong your sexual feelings, no matter the pressures on you, keep delaying sex.

Watching rough or blue videos Going to video halls to watch movies can lead you into bad groups, taking alcohol and sex. Bad movies can give your nightmares, disturb your feelings, show you unpleasant things that you cannot forget. YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

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We hope you were with us last year. We continue with the story of the “Empty Compound.”

Dictionary:

The empty compound I’m so confused. I only wanted the best for my sons

Get rid: To do away with something. Guard: To keep safe from danger. Infected: getting a disease

Sophia’s father in-law is confused. He wanted the best for his sons and now they are dead. His compound is now empty. He is feeling bad. Sara’s father asks Sofia’s father-in-law

Young Talk, February 2008

to give her (Sofia) a chance to look after the home. She also wants to know whether she has HIV, so she can safe guard her health and live longer. Sofia’s father-in-law allows her back in his home. Sofia’s daughter Tamaa runs to him and he hugs him. The compound is not empty anymore.

• Knowing your HIV status helps you look after your health well • People living with HIV need support not hatred • Caring for orphans makes them feel good

Now two of them are dead and my compound is falling to pieces.

That’s why Sofia wants to come back and look after it. Give her a chance.

And talk with Tamaa too. He needs your help

He’s right. We must talk openly about this. So many young people are dying

And even if she finds she is infected, she can guard her health and live longer

Look at Sofia. She wants to know the truth

What will happen if she dies? This is where we can all help.

There are so many orphans already. Once we are open about the disease, We can get rid of our fear. Then we can make plans to look after the orphans

YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

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Young Talk, February 2008

have different sizes of breasts. Whether they are big or small, you can feel happy and proud about them. Some girls also feel bad that their breasts are small. Who are those people saying those things? What is their reason for talking like that? Are they trying to convince you to have sex? Be tough. Ignore them. Continue being a virgin. Thanks, Biira.

DEAR Young TALK la P.O. B0X 22366 Kampa Is it true that a pregnant woman cannot get HIV/AIDS? Kalemba R, 13, Elgon PS, Mbale No, it is not true. A pregnant woman can get HIV just like any other person. HIV is acquired when you have sex with an infected person. You can get HIV if you get in contact with fluids of an infected person like semen, vaginal fluids or blood.

ls of Young Talk, Pupi We love reading Nyoko PS Yumbe

Is it true that some condoms on the market are not trusted? Hassan W, 15, Nakigo PS Hassan, most condoms are very good quality. The Ministry of Health makes sure of that. But some condoms may be stored badly and get spoilt. Hassan, are you having sex? Why? Who with? Are you simply curious? Be very careful, Hassan. Remember, there is prison, STDs. Think about other ways of handling your sexual feelings.

Is it true that a 12-yearold boy cannot get HIV even when he has sex with an infected person? Nakasuja T, 14, Jace PS, Kampala Nakasuja, HIV cannot tell the age of a person. It only looks for body fluids in which to live and reproduce. Do you know a boy of 12 who is having sex? Ask him to talk to a male teacher. Is it true that if you have sex and you jump up you do not get pregnant? Ninshabe C, 14, Bwezibwera PS, Ntungamo Claire, who told you this? Be careful with the information you get. It is good you are asking about this. Once the semen (sperms) enters inside a female’s vagina, you cannot get them out by jumping. The sperm cells swim fast to meet the ovum. Even if you jump, you will have become pregnant. My friend has one testis, what could be the problem? Agasha M, 13, Rukungiri Modern PS Agasha, some boys do have only

I had unprotected sex in P5. Now I am worried. Girl, Ekarakafe PS, P7 What is worrying you? Do you think that you have HIV? Are you feeling guilty? Please forgive yourself. You can not change the fact that you had sex. Why not promise yourself not to have early sex again? That will make you feel less worried. You can also test for HIV.

ies of Young Talk We are grateful for the cop PS Yumbe Alip t Eas we receive. Pupils of one testicle. About one out of every 125 boys are born that way. But can you advise your friend to visit a doctor for proper check up. AIDS is an STD. Why can't it be treated like any other disease? Nansikombi R, 15, Kiboga Progress PS Ritah, AIDS is caused by a virus, which keeps changing its shape.

This makes it hard to get proper medicine for it. Diseases like flu, caused by viruses, have no cure. They can only be managed. There are drugs that can manage AIDS, by reducing the HIV in the body. Is it true that sex can make people look nice? Tuhirirwe E, 14, Nyamiko PS, Bushenyi Evelyn, have you heard funny rumours about sex? I believe you have seen many married people who have sex but do not look nice. What makes you look pretty is what you eat, the exercise you take, taking care of your hair and fingernails, whether you are jolly and other factors. My breasts are too big, and people say it is because of having sex. Yet I am a virgin. Biira J, St Michael Mukole PS, Kasese Biira, having big breasts does not mean you are having sex. People

What can we do to stop boys who disturb us in class? Kyakwise S, 13, Nakigo PS Be firm with those boys. What they are doing is a waste of time and distracting. Threaten to tell the teacher. If they continue, report them. H Nsubuga, Counsellor

Dear Young Talkers, 2008 is your year for freely telling us what you are going through. It is also a year of asking questions about what is bothering you without fear. Do not remain silent. Find someone to share your story with by writing to us.

Happy 2008!

STRAIGHT TALK FOUNDATION

Young Talkers of Kireka Infant PS editing Young Talk paper at their school. Thanks very much to each of you who participated.

Publisher: Plot 4, Acacia Avenue, Kololo, P. O. Box 22366, Tel: (0312) 262030/1,041 530008 Kampala (U), Fax: 534858, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], Director: C. Watson, Deputy Director: T. Agutu, Editorial manager: E. Kimuli, Editors: G. Awekofua, M. Akello . J.Abongowath Designers:Gb. Mukasa M. eB. Kalanzi, Printer: The New Vision. Young Talk is funded by DANIDA, DFID, Ireland Aid & SIDA.

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