BLM, with funding from NORAD/SIDA and UNFPA, are implementing a very active youth project countrywide. BLM’s Community Outreach Team officers for the southern zone have been conducting community sensitization campaigns in Blantyre, Mulanje, and Thyolo districts during the months of May and June.

The objective of the series of campaigns was to encourage youth especially girls and young women to have self efficacy, to encourage youth to go for HCT, to improve attitudes toward condom use and contraceptive use, to sensitize the youth about Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services which are offered by BLM centres, and to seek community support in the implementation of the NORAD/SIDA youth project.

Speaking during a community sensitization campaign at Njedza village, in Mulanje, Assistant Youth Coordinator for the Southern Zone, Assana Juwayeyi Magombo said, “In sum we are here to disseminate information about the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), avoidance of unplanned pregnancies and teaching the youth to make responsible decisions with regards to their health.” The Assistant Youth Coordinator went on to say that the outreach team had received very good responses at all the sites they had visited in Mulanje.

“The chiefs, local leaders, district youth officer and representatives from the Ministry of Health have been very supportive & have contributed greatly to the success of our campaigns,” she added.

The senior extension officer for BLM Southern Zone, George Macheso, also urged the youth to delay sexual intercourse until adulthood to avoid STIs and premature health complications.

It is extremely important to BLM that the youth are equipped with correct SRH information and the community sensitization campaigns provide the added advantage of allowing it to convey this information to the youth face to face. BLM incorporates dance and drama to its campaigns in order to deliver STI prevention messages in a style that is relevant to the youth.

BLM conducts youth sensitization campaigns countrywide, all year round.