In a bid to reduce cases of sexual transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies among youths, Banja la Mtsogolo over the weekend stormed Mzuzu University Social weekend with information and services to curb the vice.
The event started on Friday with an Open Air Disco and reached its climax on Saturday where alot of upcoming artists and the artist of the moment Driemo who gave a wonderful performance leading to the crowd singing along to almost all of his songs.
Among other things, personnel from BLM provided free services such as a Health Talk, HIV Testing and Counseling, BP Check Up, Family planning counseling just to mention a few.
BLM Senior Marketing and Advocacy Manager, Simeon Thodi said the idea to partner with the MZUNI Entertainment directorate was to raise awareness on the services it provides.
Thodi said youths should know that BLM offers a variety of health services apart from providing family planning services.
“We were at Mzuni to continue spreading the good news that people specifically youths should know that BLM is not only about sexual reproductive health or family planning services but rather a variety of health services.” said Thodi.
Adding to that, Thodi said it is very important to engage the youths on issues to do with their health as to help them plan and take care of their future by making the right choices pertaining to their sexual reproductive health among others.
“We are very happy that we had the chance to interact with the youth at Mzuni and surrounding areas through this social weekend, we were impressed with the turn out and interactions that we have had with them. We do believe through this way we will have youths that have a wide range of options to take and good choices to make in order to make sure that they plan their lives accordingly”
“As BLM we are open to these kind of activities as they give us a platform to share facts about our health. For example, we had a Health Talk at Mzuni where qualified personnel took students through or issues to do with their health. This was an opportunity for them to express their fears and go away with myths and misconceptions that run around among youths”, he added.
One of the students that took part in the event, Brighton Likatho a third year Library and Information Science student, said the social weekend proved to be entertaining, informing and educative.
“As a youth I have learnt a lot from BLM over the weekend as they took us through most of the things that we didn’t have information about. And thanks to BLM we had a great time over the weekend with full entertainment”, said Likatho.
Banja La Mtsogolo, was established in 1987 to expand access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country and has clinics across 28 districts.
