By Our Reporter
KARONGA (MaraviPost): Youths in Karonga the northern border district of Malawi, have been asked to reflect their mindset and focused on their future especially at this time as they are celebrating the New Year 2016.
Speaking during the workshop on Friday that was aimed at training the youths on issues concerning the reproductive health which has been the major challenges in the district, the Executive Director for the Foundation for Community Support Services (FOCUS) Kossum Munthali said despite being a greater proportion of the population which is now estimated at 15.8 million, youths in the country are lacking knowledge of sexual and reproductive health.
According to Munthali, such challenges are contributing to unwanted pregnancies as well as early marriages a development that increases the maternal and neonatal deaths in the district.
“First of all I have to thank for the collaboration we had in the past year of 2015 but my appeal is that you should start with personal plans as you are entering this year in order to shape your future,” said Munthali.
“One of the strategies that we have put forward for you to start the 2016 journey without facing health challenges is the issue of reproductive health that has mostly affected you as the youths in the past years. However, with the knowledge you have gained hear I believe that the year will be a changed generation,” Munthali advised.
Adding that “as the organization, we are much concerned with the increase rate of maternal and neonatal deaths especially amongst the youths in the district and we therefore urge you to work hand in hand in eliminating the myths as well as misconceptions surround issues of reproductive health and use of contraceptive methods.”
Munthali further said “the training is part of complementing the goal of our three year project popularly known as reducing up the maternal and neonatal deaths that FOCUS in collaboration with the Adventist Health Services is implanting in the district with the financial support from the UKAID and Christian AID.”
In her remarks, the president for the youths in the project Elizabeth Kawonga commended the organization for the training saying “it has helped them a lot especially on their reproductive health of which they were lacking behind.”
Apart from training the youths, the organizations has also donated an ambulance worth 33miliion Malawi Kwacha that will help implementing the project goal.
