It was the day Charles Ghunney broke his virginity of been part of a panel to discuss volunteering and its role in building the youth and the nation.
Not only Charles was devirginised, so were many young adults around Takoradi who gathered at the mall armed with information on comprehensive sexual education by the United Nations Population Fund and Pilolo Ghana, a volunteer group based in Takoradi.
As observed annually in Ghana, September 21 serves as Volunteerism Day and has the sole intent of imbibing in the youth, the spirit of volunteerism through awareness creation on societal issues and engaging in communal labor in their various communities and towns.
This year saw Youth based volunteer group Pilolo Ghana with support from the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA organizing the Takoradi social media weekend to draw attention to comprehensive sexual education (CSE), Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and 25 years of adopting the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) program by 179 countries which will be climaxed with an event in Kenya, November this year.
Charles, like many other volunteers, gathered in Takoradi is with a Central region-based Not-for-profit organization, Wise Youth Foundation whose main aim is to champion adolescent sexual reproductive health.
For him, this opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time as it signifies the acknowledgment of his advocacy to assemblages and individuals in the central region’s town of Winneba and beyond.
He shared his fulfillment that been a part of the program brought to him.
“I feel much fulfilled to be a panelist in discussing and the importance of volunteerism to the young adults at this year’s event. I believe that whatever information I have shared with the youths would impact their lives positively.
Most of these were absent in our young age hence the lack of knowledge most people are seen demonstrating towards volunteerism and adult reproductive health”, he said.
Unlike Charles, John Kwasi Amuzu, also a volunteer has had the opportunity to sit on panels to discuss issues about reproductive health.
Leading a session on Comprehensive Sexual Health Education, he said it is out of place and abuse of one’s right to have sexual intercourse without your partner’s consent.
He admonished the young adults to practice safe if they cannot abstain.
Master Amuzu mentioned that condoms are the only form of birth control that protects against sexually transmitted Infections.
Just as many have advocated for the inclusion of fathers and young boys in conversations of this kind in the past, many of them came along with their kids to learn and to contribute their knowledge on sexual rights.
It is believed that sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) have been neglected globally due to an absence of uniform understanding and opposing belief system, hence their presence demanding a great commendation.
John believes the championing of this cause by fathers and young boys would step up the game for comprehensive sexual education in our communities.
Girl’s Prefect of Takoradi Senior High School Comfort Teng said the session was educative as it highlighted challenges that many young people her age face in their daily lives. She says the Comprehensive Sexual Education session would help them own the decision making –power over their bodies and emotionally disciplined both home and in school.
Daniel Kwakye, a father and also a participant was of the view that young ones needed guidance just like a tree at its infancy to be able to grow well and bear the right fruits. The absence of which spells doom for their future.
Mr. Kwakye commended the organizers saying ‘this event was very crucial to the young adults by shaping their future in sexual health education”.
What is the Comprehensive Sexual Education about?
The Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (CSE) is a program being implemented by the United Nation’s Population Fund to provide adequate knowledge to adolescents in order to make sexual and reproductive health decisions responsibly.
The program enables young people to protect their health, well-being, and dignity. At the core of this program are gender equality and the empowerment of young people.
By Evans Aziamor-Mensah
Source: https://www.modernghana.com/