Young Talk, July 2007

Vol. 10 No.7 July 2007

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

•Know your rights •Stay in school •Delay sex

Sex education for primary schools

Stay in school for as long as you can ool is g in schnt you in y a t s eme Girls, ture. t achiev t h e b e s for a better fu can get o early sex! t Say no

Staying in school is very important. If you study you can have a bright future with a good job. This will enable you to look after your family. You can stay in school if you are well behaved, respectful to your teachers and everyone who is responsible for your well being in school.

Young Talkers in Wakiso said in order to stay in young people should: • Delay to have sex • Respect parents and teachers • Avoid bad groups • Avoid drinking alcohol, smoking andstealing • Follow school rules • Say NO to forced marriage • Read hard • Respect each other at school • Have a goal and work hard towards it • Concentrate on studies • Control your sexual feelings • Make a healthy friendship with teachers

t i l s n a r u Jo fo r a d ay

Ovon Francis and Kajubi Ivan of Kisubi Boys, Wakiso, discuss what makes them stay in school.

Pupils of Nkumba PS putting down things that make them stay in school

How do you use your time? Young Talkers from Wakiso told us how they spend their time: •Revise books and understand •Attend all classs and ask their teacher where they do not understand •Make sure they do homework in time •Share knowledge with others to learn more •Participate actively in class •Boys and girls can read together and help each other •Create personal time table where they include time to play and do other work YOUNG

•Work hard at school •You have a right to education •Sex is not for children •Report bad touches TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

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Young Talk, July2007

Why early sex can make you stay out of school Some of the pupils from Nkumba PS and Kisubi Boys PS who talked to YT team identified early sex as one of the problems that forces young people out of school. Both boys and girls gave the folowing reasons:

ery Early sex can be v g n dangerous to you what people and this is to say boy and girls had e of about the outcom early sex.

Boys

Girls

It can lead to; • Dropping out of school • To prostitution • Boys becoming thieves to take care of the baby. • Loss of respect and trust from the parents • Getting of STDs and HIV • Boys being forced to marry and pay bride price • Isolation by the society if they get to know about it • It can make you develop bad habits • Lead to unhappy life when your parents send you away from home • Causes shame when people get to know • Imprisonment of boy because of defilement.

It can lead to; • Un wanted pregnancy • STDs and HIV/AIDS • Destruction of the reproductive system • Young motherhood and fatherhood • Early marriage • Family neglect • Young girls experiencing difficulty in delivery • Loss of bright future • Domestic violence.

Delaying sex is something cool, healthy and cheap. You can be respected by everyone if you are displined and focused. It has many advantages like staying in school performing well and being liked by the teachers. Kefero Simon Peter, P7, 13, Kisubi Boys PS

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I want to keep in school as long as my parents are willing to pay my fees. If I delay sex i can avoid problems like unwanted pregnancy. I will ensure I concentrate on my studies and respect my teachers. Adelmars Victoria, P7, Kisubi Boys PS

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Delaying sex can help you to achieve your goal. If you have bad friends they can influence you to have sex, Stay away from bad groups to avoid dropping out of school; Nakazzi Stella P6, 11, Nkumba PS

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What Young Talk readers say about delaying sex I make sure I concentrate on my studies and control my feelings .This helps me to stay in school. One may drop out of school when they do not have school fees and if they have problems at their homes. Evelyn Etyang, 13 ,Nkumba PS

For teachers Voice changes Every Wednesday we talk to girls and boys about staying in school. We have introduced a PIASCY programme and peer helper for the children. As teachers, we thought it was the best approach. For the poor children the Head teacher gives them free food and school fees to enable them stay in school. Those with special needs are also taken care of. We have leadership and physical lesson to keep the children active. Logose Grace Senior Woman Teacher Kisubi Boys PS Wakiso. Teachers, what are you doing to help children stay in school? Think about it...

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Logose Grace

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Why is it that some boys voices change very fast and for others remain small and yet they are old? Sunday Godfrey, P6, Mutir PS, Nebbi It is normal for even big boys to have small voices. People develop differently, depending on the hormones. Do not worry when your voice changes. You are not sick, Something normal is happenning. Your voice is breaking, it happens to many boys. YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

3 Sara enters the classroom and the pupils start calling her names. She gets annoyed and shouts at them. The teacher gets in and asks what was happening? One of the boys answers that they are teasing Sara because of Sofia. The

The empty compound

Young Talk, July 2007

teacher stops them from teasing Sara. She says they do not know if Sofia has HIV. She adds that Sofia can live longer and that not all of them are safe. They too can catch HIV. Boy should not run after girls and also girls are at risk. The teacher and pupils discuss how HIV/ AIDS can be avoided.

Witch...,Witch... Witch...

AIDS...AIDS.. AIDS.

• You cannot know if a person is HIV unless their blood is tested • People living with HIV need support not hatred Dictionary: Mocking: To tease someone Roosters: A cock Idiot: Being foolish I hate you all. Look at you whispering and pointing like idiots

Whats going on?

She can live for many years very safely and bring up her children very happily. But not when everyone is against her. Even if she is HIV positive, do you think she is the only one in the village?

We don’t know if Sofia has HIV/AIDs. And even if she does, she needs our support not our hatred

Some of you boys here think you have to behave like roosters chasing girls to show you are a man. Aren’t you afraid of HIV/AIDS?

Now, can anyone tell me how we can avoid AIDS?

Is that so? Then let me say a few things which no one wants to hear around here.

They are all mocking Sara because of Sofia

If Sofia kills herself because of you...

And you can tell your freinds the same thing. Unless we face up to this disease and tell the truth, it will finish us all off

And for girls its even more risky. Very young girls or girls who are forced to have sex are at a very high risk of getting infected.

By using condoms

By staying faithful to one partner.

And what about you all? Are you safe?

By putting off having sex

The bell rings

Okay for today, class. We’ll discuss this again

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

4 Young Talk, July 2007

can I get basic needs? N M, 13, SKY Standard PS Mayuge Dear N.M, am happy to learn that you are waiting to have sex. Abstinence will protect you from any disease that is sexually transmitted including HIV/AIDS. Sex is not a solution to poverty. There are other safe ways through which you can raise money to cater for your needs. Talk to your teacher about it.

DEAR Young TALK la

P.O. B0X 22366 Kampa

My father is mentally disturbed. He is unable to pay my school fees. I still want to go to school. What can I do? Masika Sadress Bunyangule PS Bundibugyo Sadress, do not lose hope. Explain your situation to your teacher, LC's or religious leaders who might know of people who can help. Your father can also be treated at a mental hospital where he might get better.

Pupils of Nkumba PS pose for a group photograph after talking to the Young Talk team

My sister is being forced to get married to an old man. And our parents have refused to pay her school fees. Advise her. Junju Musa, St. Jude PS Malaba Sorry! Report this matter to your teacher, local authority like LCs and district probation officer for help. It is against the law to force children into marriage. There is a man in our village who is forcing me to stop school and marry him. He promises me everything What can I do? Gakuru Saveri, Kaburasaza PS, Kisoro This man wants to use you and spoil your future. Do not accept. Success in education will help you to get whatever you need in life. Tell your parents about this man and stay in school. My friends have girlfriends. They are also telling me to have one yet I still want to study. How can I avoid them? Okecho George, Akaba PS Nebbi It is normal not to have a girlfriend. You do not have to do what your friends are doing. You have a right to decide what is good for you. And your friends should respect you and your values. Continue with your studies. You have made the right decision. My sister got pregnant when she was in primary. After delivery, she wanted to

go back to school. But my father refused to pay her fees. Advise. Mbambu Aidah Maasa, Bunyangule PS, Bundibugyo One mistake should not end your sister's education. Tell your teachers or other relatives who can talk to your father about the importance of her education. Your sister will be more useful in future if she is helped to continue with her education.

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Pupil of Bukuluka Mawogola PS and their teacher Sembabule.

There is a boy who always asks me for sex. He said if I refuse, he will rape me. I am scared. Nakimwanjo Teddy, P5, Lwemiyaga PS, Sembabule Be strong. Report the boy to your parents and teachers. Also avoid being in lonely places and moving alone. Is it true that when a girl is given too much work during her menstruation she can over bleed? Kakooza Shamin, 14, Sky Standard PS, Mayuge It is not true. Working and playing during menstruation is

My friend's father asked her for sex and she refused. Then the father decided to stop paying her fees. Advise my friend. Ahimbisibwe, 13, Good Hope Nursery and PS, Ntugamo Tell your friend to keep refusing her father's demand. It is wrong and criminal. Report this case to the LC's, relatives, teachers or any responsible adult for help. My teacher wants to have sex with her. This disturbs my mind. What can I do? Mugaya Juma, 14, P6, Bugiri It is a crime for teachers or any body to ask for sex from pupils. Stick to a No and also report to the head teacher and your parents.

good. It can helps reduce pain in some girls. When the bleeding is too much, it is important that you visit a health center for help. I am abstaining but the problem is that poverty may force me to have sex. How

Peter Mubala Counsellor

Pupils of Kirwoko PS Young Talk Club, Kapchorwa, with their teachers Mr. Kitikoy Moses and Mr. Cherop Simon, reading Young Talk.,

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