Vol. 9 No.
10
Not for SALE:                                                                                                            October 2006
Young Talk                                                                                                            •Know your rights
is FREE                                                                                                               •Stay in school
Sex education for                                                                                                     •Wait to have sex
primary schools                                                                                                       •Plan your future
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                                   It is good manners to respect
                                   and obey elders.
                                   But what if an adult wants to
                                   do something that will expose
                                   you to dangers like HIV/STDs,
                                   pregnancy and marriage Y  ou
                                                            You
                                                                            NO      to an adult
                                                                          One evening Oloka waited as she
                                                                          returned from school. He grabbed
                                                                                                                kept shouting. Finally, Oloka ran
                                                                                                                away.
                                   need to say NO!                        her books and sandals and told
                                                                          Akello to get them from his home.     You can be like Mary
                                                                                                                                 Mary.. Never
                                   Always ask yourself:     "Am I                                               give up! True story adapted from
                                   going to be safe if I   do what        Akello refused to follow Oloka
                                                                                                     Oloka.     The New Vision 8 Aug 2006
                                   this adult wants me     to do?"        She walked away, ready to leave
                                                                          the books and sandals. Oloka ran
Speaking out on                    Being safe is more important           after her and touched her
radio in Karamoja                  than being obedient, respectful        breasts. She pushed him
                                   or helpful.                            away
                                                                          away..
 SP Lawok, 13, P7, of
 Naitakwa PS, Moroto, gives        Brave girl: true story                 He jumped onto her. She
 his opinion. He is one of 20      Maru Akello is 14. She is in P7. But   fought with all her energy
                                                                                                energy.
 young people trained by           she lives with her grandfather who     He got a stick from the bush
 Straight Talk to talk on          has always wanted her to get           and beat her. She cried for
 radio in Karamoja.                married. Akello said no to early       help
                                                                          help, but there was no one to
                                   marriage
                                   marriage. She wants to become a        rescue her. She struggled and
Listen every Sat and Sun at 6 pm   teacher.                               grabbed the stick!
on Karamoja FM and Veritas.
Straight Talk's radio show in      Her grandfather wanted her to          Oloka got a panga. She hit his
Nga'karimojong is funded by:       marry a man called Oloka.              hand and he fell. As she tried
                                   Oloka gave her presents like text      to run, Oloka got up, kicked
                                   books, but she refused them
                                                             them.        her in the eye and she fell. She
If you find yourself in a situation like that of Akello, do
                                                                                                                                   Run
like her:      refuse, shout, fight, run                                                                                           away
                                                                                                                                   from the
                                                                                                                                   person
                                      Fight with all your energy.                                                                  as fast as
                                      Hit them in the private                                                                      your legs
                                      parts and run away.                                                                          can take
                                                                                                                                   you.
                                                                                  Prevention:
                                                                                  avoid being
                                                                                  alone with
                                                                                  someone of
                                                                                  the opposite
 Say no                                                                           sex.
 strongly and
 shout for help.
                                                                                          YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7
2   Young Talk, October 2006
How to say NO                                                                 Use a
                                                                              clear and
One day as I was going home, I found an old woman. She said she loved me.
She bought me things to eat. She also asked for sex but I refused. She said   forceful
she would get people to kill me. What can I do? MT, 15, Lady Sylvia PS,
Masajja.                                                                      voice
Stay away from this person and                                                My parents died
tell a trustworthy adult right                                                when I started P7. I
away
away.. Do not go to the                                                       live with my stepmother. I
woman's house. Walk home                                                      have a close relative who is
from school using a different                                                 pushing me into marriage
way
way..                                                                         and my stepmother believes
                                                                              in him. What can I do? BS, P7,
Say “no” to adults who make                                                   13, Parent PS, Iganga
you feel uncomfortable with                                                   Sorry! It would be very wrong and               Test your ability to say
their requests or touches. If                                                 risky for you to get married at 13 or           no
someone gets too close, say                                                   even 14, 15, 16, or 17. Marriage is             Take action: Do not wait until
“no.”                                                                         legal at 18. Ask a teacher to talk to           something wrong happens for you to
Make it more than NO
                  NO.. Say:                                                   your stepmother. Keep saying no.                practice your NO. Talk to your
"No thank you. That will destroy                                                                                              parents/guardians for guidance.
my future."                                                                   Early marriage is a wrong tradition.
"I cannot."                                                                   • female circumcision                           You can role-play with your brothers/
"What you want is against the                                                 • stopping girls from schooling                 sisters or friends on how to say a
school rules."                                                                • early sex                                     strong NO.
"Please keep away from me.".
"Please stop. I don't like that."      Safety friends: never go alone.
                                       Go and return with friends                                                             use in schools.
"That is not fun."
"I will report you."                                                             For teachers
                                                                                 It is good to encourage                      Ms J Ochiro, Banunule
                                       •Fight
    Key messages
                                                        who                      pupils to respect and                        PS, Kampala and Luwum
                                       • Report people adult
                                         bother you to an                        obey adults. But you also                    J of Crane School,
                   ts who                you trust                               need to teach them when                      Wakiso have already
 • Say no to adul force                                                          they must say NO.                            received their phones.
   want to lure or
   you into sex       for                                                        Give them safety tips like
 • Move in a group
   protection                                                                    moving with friends in
                   alone
  • Avoid moving                                                                 whose company they feel
    at night                                                                     safe.
                   ts
  • Say NO to gif
    from peop le  w ho                                                           Your pupils believe and
    may ask fo  r se x in                                                        respect what you say.
                                                                                                                               J Ochiro with
    return                                                                       Never make sexual                             headmistress
   •Shout                                                                        advances to them.                             VK Nabetta
   • Run                                                                         Respect your
                                                                                 professional ethics.
Prize giving ceremony                                                            *****
                                                                                                          The other mobile phone
                                                                                                          winners are A Mugume,
It was fun giving prizes to the        The winners sang in excitement and        Good news! Young Talk    Buhara PS; F Maningi,
Young Talk grand quiz winners.         said their teacher explained to them      has wonderful prizes for Rwankora PS, I Nahamya,
Banunule PS in Kisugu, Kampala was     the instructions very well. They          teachers who promote its Kirima PS.
the best overall winner. Nine pupils   patiently waited for the three
won T-shirts, rulers and pens: One     months to end and sent in their quiz
                                                                                  Journalists for a day
won a bicycle. Four won                before the deadline. Congratulations
schoolbags. Four won watches.          to all the winners! Naima Isa,
The school wins sh2 million.           Quiz coordinator
                   Bananule winners
                                                                                 Journalists are people who write newspapers. These bright pupils from
                                                                                 Mityana worked as journalists for a day for this Young TTalk.      alk. They advise
                                                                                 fellow Young Talkers to stop fetching water at night, to listen to good advice and to
                                                                                 report to police if you are being forced to marry.
                                                                                                 YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7
4 Young Talk, October 2006
                                                 13, P7, Seeta PS,
                                                 Mukono
           DEAR                                  Forced marriage is child and
                                                 sexual abuse. Advise your
           Young TALK
                                                 friend to talk to a trusting
                                                 and understanding relative
                                                 or a teacher. She should
                                la
            P.O. B0X 22366 Kampa                  not marry.
                                                        Is it true that a
                                                        girl who has
       Is it true that when a           reached adolescence can
      girl eats sugar canes             even marry that day?
when she is menstruating                Mukimba E, 11, P5, Gamatui
the period days increase?               Girls Boarding Sch,
Kabugho M, 14, P7, Ibanda               Kapchorwa
PS, Kasese                              No. Adolescence does not happen in
No, it is not true. The diet does not   one day. It takes years to experience
influence the length of the period.     the changes that come with growing
There is no reason to worry about       up. There are many changes to your
what you eat.                                                                                       Thank you Young Talk for giving us tactics
                                        body, mind and emotions during
                                        adolescence. You become an adult                                     against sugar daddies
       We are twins. I have             slowly. Adolescents are still growing.
       started developing hairs         They are not fully grown and ready
around my private parts but             for marriage.
my sister has not. What
causes that? NS, 12, P7,                       Is there any solution to
Ociba PS, Arua                                 avoid pimples and
Different people develop at different   menstruation? I am tired of
times much as you may be twins.         them. Basirika M, P6, 14,
This is because other than the genes    KCC Ps, Kampala
that you share, there are other         We understand. Pimples, especially,
factors that influence your             can be tiring. But menstruation and
development. If she is worried, she     pimples are normal. They come with
can visit a qualified health worker.    growing up. Every girl goes through
                                        this. Try to appreciate this and cope
      Is it normal for a girl of        with the situation. Talk to a teacher
      16 not to have started            or counselor.
menstruating? B Peace,
Rweigaaga PS, Bushenyi                         Is it true that
Different people start experiencing            circumcised boys
menstruation at different times.        cannot get infected with
Usually, menstruation starts at 13 -                                                             Young Talkers of Bugoodo PS and their patron
                                        HIV/STDs? A Omari P5, 13,                                            Mr. D Ntuyo Kalinaki
14 years of age. If you are 16 and      Chico Estate PS, Kakira
have not menstruated, you can visit     No, it is not true. Circumcision may
a health worker.                        reduce the risk of HIV/STDs a little
                                        but a circumcised male can still get
      I have pimples yet my             infected. At 13 abstinence is the best
      16-year-old friend does           protection against HIV/STDs. Please
not have. She advises me to             do not start sex now.
wash my face with my
knickers. Can this                           Can a woman infected
work? Ninsiima M,                            with HIV produce a
Bunjojo PS. Fort                          normal child? B Millicent
portal.                                   14, P6, Kanyashande PS,
No, it will not work.                       Kayonza, Kanungu.
Pimples are one of                           Yes, it is possible. If a pregnant
the skin changes                              woman has HIV, she may be
that come with                                 lucky and deliver a baby with
growing up. For                                 no HIV.
some people,
pimples may be                                                   There is also
few. For others,                                                  a program
they may be                                                       called
many. Just wash                                                PMTCT
your face with soap                                                                           We keep our bodies and our environment clean.
                                                      (prevention of mother-                       Pupils of Joy PS, Entebbe, Wakiso
and clean water.                             to-child transmission). Under
With time the                                PMTCT, there is a medicine that
pimples will                                  helps to protect the baby. That       because it is filled with blood. It is        time. Watch out for negative peer
disappear.                                    is why pregnant women need            normal and healthy.                           influence.
                                              to test for HIV.
     I have a                                                                             I have a friend who                            I have a problem. When I
     friend in                                 Why do boys get                            advised me to have sex                         was in class, a girl
S1. Her mother                  kandula        erections? Murungi M,                with a girl. What can I do?                   touched me on my penis.
died and her                                    11, P6, St. Jude PS,                Eruku X, 14, P5, Ogobai PS,                   What do I do? Kisakye J, 13,
father does not                                 Fortportal                          Kaberamaido                                   P6, Buhanika PS, Hoima
have enough                                     It is due to the influence of       Early sex has big dangers such as             Tell this girl that you do not like what
money to pay                                    male hormones. It may               early pregnancy, HIV/STDs and prison          she is doing. If she does it again,
her fees. She                                   happen without any obvious          for boys. Make your own decisions.            report her to your teacher.
stays with her                                 cause. The penis is erect            Do not depend on friends all the              Counsellor
                                                                                                                                  Counsellor,, Dr M Mulowooza
aunt who gives
her a hard time.
She tells her to                           Publisher:  STRAIGHT TALK FOUNDATION                                 Plot 45 Bukoto St., Kamwokya, P. O. Box 22366, Tel: (0312)
get married.                               262030/1,041 530008 Kampala (U), Fax: 534858, E-mail: strtalk@straight-talk.or.ug, strtalk@imul.com, Communications
What can I do to                           Director: C. Watson,, Programme Director: A. A. Fiedler, Editors: T. Agutu, B. Kagoro, E. Kimuli, G. Awekofua,
help her?                                  Designers: M. eB. Kalanzi, Gb. Mukasa Printer: The New Vision,
Mukankusi N,                               Young Talk is funded by DANIDA, DFID, Ireland Aid & SIDA.               www.straight-talk.or.ug