Isiolo: Youth and adolescents from Burat Ward, Isiolo county have benefited from a community-driven campaign, aimed at reducing rampant cases of teenage pregnancies in the area.
According to Kenya News Agency, a sexual reproductive health educator Francisca Akope from the Ministry of Health, highlighted that teenage pregnancy cases in the region were on the rise, necessitating quick intervention to address the situation.
Akope revealed that Isiolo was among the leading counties in the country with the national prevalence standing at 17 per cent. She pointed out the increasing pregnancies among girls aged between 10 and 14, emphasizing the need for new strategies to reach younger adolescents effectively.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, integrates reproductive health education with social and sporting activities at the village level. Akope added that through partnerships with organizations like Mercy Corps and MID-P, the ministry was able to train healthcare providers to target vulnerable youth with reproductive sexual health education.
The training also covered other issues affecting young people, including drug abuse, insecurity, and nutrition, ensuring that participants gain a broader range of life skills. One of the organizers, Fatuma Ismail, explained that sports have proven particularly effective in reaching young people. 'Football tournaments attract large crowds of youth, especially boys, who are equally vulnerable to risky behaviors and offer opportunity for such sensitization,' Ismail observed.
These events provide health workers with opportunities to interact with youth, offer guidance and counseling, and, where necessary, refer them to health facilities. A Community Health Promoter (CHP) Janet Cherono from Leparua location noted that the program is already transforming lives. She emphasized that young people are being equipped with knowledge in nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, and financial literacy.
Cherono revealed that many youths had formed Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), allowing them to save and access credit for income-generating activities. She said the youth education had significantly reduced their involvement in livestock theft, which was once a common occurrence in the area.