Zibusiso Dlamini
NYAMANDLOVU village community health worker has bemoaned long distance to schools in her area, a development she said was fueling teenage pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Jerina Moyo, 55 of ward 15 in Nyamandlovu area in Umguza district told The Zambezi Times that from her experience as a health worker young girls have been exposed to unwanted pregnancies and STIs.
“When these girls are travelling to school that is when they are taken advantage of by these young boys in the bushes.
“The moment she says I am tired of walking on these sands these boys will then say let’s have a little rest resulting in them engaging in this illicit behaviour leading to pregnancy,” she said.
She added: “While the gesture of escorting each other is a good deed, especially considering how girls are vulnerable to people who might want to take advantage of them, it remains an issue that these long distance schools are not good for the girl child.”
Jerina who is also wife to a local councilor David Moyo while she could not immediately avail statistics, as village health workers she said they have handled a number of cases of teenage pregnancies with some being exposed to sexually transmitted diseases and at worse HIV.
She however said the Covid-19 induced locked downs have worsened the problem.
“Staying at home for these girls is another problem because they have nothing to do than thinking of these illicit acts. As village health workers this has created a lot of problems in that we are now overwhelmed with teen mothers who do not have experience in taking care of their children. We have also been trying to do awareness campaigns among girl children in the area,” lamented Moyo.
Moyo however applauded other sister organisations which are involved in helping the girl child in and around Nyamandlovu.
“In this ward I am alone but there are others who are doing the same work of helping the girl child. The National Aids Council brings a lot of organisations which complement each other in these efforts and we call them sister to sister,” she said adding that the Campaign for Female Education is one such group.
Meanwhile, Moyo shared some of her daily routines.
“My job is purely voluntary but the love of helping others is what drives me to continue doing my best.
“I and my colleagues through sister to sister initiatives we do awareness campaigns on Covid-19 by reaching out to gatherings like funerals where we teach people on how to stay safe by observing social distancing, correct wearing of masks and the importance of sainting.
“On some instances we follow up on TB and HIV patience to ensure that they do not default on their drugs. We also follow up on children to ensure that they have access to drugs and other important information,” she said.
