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Pupils during a session
Roselyne Mosamma during a session on reproductive health
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Reproductive Health Education Starts in Tarime

The Diocese of Tarime has launched reproductive health education program in the government primary (elementary) schools in Tarime. The purpose of the program is to sensitize children in school children about the consequences and dangers of female genital mutilation, HIV/Aids, teenage pregnancy and pre-marital sex.

So far, 710 children, aged 11-16, have been reached. Of these, 374 are girls and 336 are boys. The 6 schools where the sensitization program has taken place so far are Mapinduzi and Azimio in Tarime town; Sirari and Nyairoma at border with Kenya, and Keryoba Nyangoto and Matare in Nyangoto near Barrick North Mara Gold Mine.

Speaking at the launch of this program in October, Bishop Mwita Akiri said, “Female genital mutilation is one of the crude and outdated cultural practices in our society here in Tarime that not only violates women’s rights but also spreads HIV/Aids. We must tackle it head on. We must prevent early marriages in our society that come soon after circumcision for most girls. We must defend the freedom and the rights of women and young girls and work with them for a better future. I firmly believe that the primary school is the right place to start this campaign”.

Bishop Mwita added, “I am most grateful to Caroline Honsberger and her colleagues in Canada for helping us to kick-start this program. More resources are needed to continue this campaign. I pray that God will make them available to us.”