Article by Purity , Big Sister
Sexually Transmitted Infections are predominantly known to spread through sexual contact and formulate as bacterial, viral, or parasitic and proven to have a profound impact on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young people which can have serious consequences beyond the immediate impact of the infection itself. Our social-cultural setting that shuns away from allowing people to speak freely about sexuality and wellbeing makes it difficult for infected people especially young to seek help. Monica is a form 4 student, and a participant in Big Sister sessions which I have been facilitating, she disclosed to me how the program helped her overcome the fear bringing back her confidence and dignity after understanding deeper what could be causing her discomfort, foul smell, and discharge from her genitals. Through the SAFIRE program, she contacted one of our big sisters who referred her to a trained health care provider where she was treated. She’s now grateful for the knowledge and promises “I will be a champion for sexuality information among my peers, I commit to share with at least four peers the knowledge I have gathered and request each of them to cascade the information to at least four every day”
Indeed, our community-based intervention can go a long way not just in the provision of comprehensive ASRH information but also linkage to accessing non judgmental reproductive health services
