Thanks for sending in your shout outs, poems, opinions and ideas about what’s happening in your lives! You rock and remember … you’re GOLD!
Ukuthasa World Cup Soccer Tournament
A week before World Cup kick-off, Ukuthasa held a mini World Cup tournament at Macassar High School. Soccer teams battled it out in the heat while performers danced and sang on stage and encouraged everyone to go for VCT (HIV Testing) at the mobile VCT testing points that had been set up.
The GOLD soccer team was there, but although they did shine, CAWO’s Danish team shone brighter!
The GOLD team licking their wounds after being beaten by the CAWO Danes.
Elizabeth Mwanza 15 years old, Junior Peer Educator - Society for Povery Eradication, ZambiaElizabeth says “Identifying yourself and thinking that you are a leader when coming from a poor family is hard. You are always with friends who want to dictate your life by introducing you to their boyfriends and showing off that they are enjoying life and discouraging you, saying you cannot make it. When I attended my first GOLD session I discovered that there were a lot of things that can wait. GOLD has really helped me to understand myself well and make proper decisions even when I see my friends with their boyfriends”
Have your say!
We picked the brains of four fabulous Botswana Peer Educators about some youth issues and here’s what they had to say:
Nnyaladzi Nyeku Form 4, Track 3 on TEEN PREGNANCY
What do you think teenagers could do to decrease the rate of teen pregnancy in your community?
Avoid excessive drinking, practice safe sex if they are sexually active, get as much information on the subject and know exactly what could happen should they fall pregnant.
Maatla Sithole Form 4, Track 3 on DRINKING
Why do you think teens in your community drink too much?
Basically it is because of peer pressure. Everyone is doing it so they feel they should also. They see the “cool” people drinking and they want to be part of that crowd. For boys sometimes it is about ego. They need to drink to prove they are a man.
One Selei, , Form 2, Track 2 on HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
What does a good/healthy relationship look like?
Good communication. No fighting. Being comfortable around the person you are with. Respecting the other person and being faithful. Trust your partner.
What does a bad/unhealthy relationship look like?
There is no trust. There is bad communication and perhaps one partner overpowers the other. There is a lack of loyalty and respect.
Resego Lucas, Track 3, Form 4 on ABSTAINING, CONDOMS and being FAITHFUL to one partner.
What are the challenges to abstaining from sex as a teenager?
As a teenage girl there is a lot of pressure from others to have sex and they think of it as a right of passage into womanhood. As people are having sex you start to wonder why you are not part of this group. Also hormones play a big part along with curiosity. If you’re a guy, you are seen as a man if you have had sex.
How can teens support each other to abstain or delay the first time they have sex?
They can share advice and their experiences or the experiences of others. Share stories and connect with others. Should they choose to be sexually active remind them of how to protect themselves.
What are the challenges to using condoms as a teenager?
Teenagers mostly do not have much information about how to use them. This makes us embarrassed to tell our partners that we do not understand how to use a condom. I think guys think it does not give them the true feeling of sex.
How can teens support each other to use condoms correctly every time they have sex?
Educating each other by sharing the correct information and resources.
What are the challenges to being faithful to one partner as a teenager?
A teenage guy might see that most of his friends are “players” and they think this is normal. They are overtaken by hormones. They see a beautiful girl and they forget about the other one. This is lust not love. For a teenage girl hormones also have something to do with it. Also perhaps your partner is not accepted by your friends and then you have pressure from them to seek out someone else. Your partner may not be faithful so you feel you are allowed to act in the same manner.
How can teens support each other to be faithful to one partner?
Be supportive of who your friends choose to date and encourage them to stay with one person. If you know your friend’s partner is having multiple relationships inform them and help them make the right decision no matter how hard it may be.
Peer Educator Nothando Bridget Sibiya from Nelspruit in Mpumalanga sent us her awesome poem and also asked us to send lots of love to her family, friends and all the other GOLD Peer Educators and peers!
THE DREAMER
I’m a go-getter, a girl of fairytales, a peacemaker.
People say, “Who is she?”
So who am I exactly? What do I want?
Well I’m a golden angel, a sun rising above.
I want more, more of everything and most of all I want it all...
I’m not about luxury, but my wealth is my happiness.
I’m no hermit, sadist nor a stranger.
I’m the peacemaker, a best believer of everything and such a dreamer.
You can’t judge me. Only the Lord God has permission for that.
I am the one and only me. I’m Africa’s dream.
I’m the creator of my life.
I know my direction in life.
I am Nothando Bridget Sibiya and I’m proud of being me.
KZN Peer Educators say SEND MY FRIEND TO SCHOOL!
The Crossroads International Peer Educators are supporting the 1 GOAL – SEND MY FRIEND TO SCHOOL campaign. Over the World Cup time, they made 3 giant supporter scarves, each about 6 metres in length, which were displayed at strategic vantage points on local roads and highways. The scarves are made up of individual A4 pieces of paper containing messages of support for education. The Peer Educators gathered over 1000 signatures supporting their cause on the back of the scarves. They plan to send the scarves to the Minister of Education ahead of the Millennium Development talks in September 2010 to make sure that all children have a primary education by 2015. In September this year, a Summit will be held in New York to review the 8 Millennium Development Goals.
