Young Talk, October 2008   1
Not for SALE:
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 Sex Education for primary schools
       • Know your rights
       • Stay in school
       • Delay sex                                                                                          Vol. 10 No.10
  Managing
 Change Safely
“In boarding school, my life is better. In a day
                                                             When change comes, copy
school boys used to disturb me as I walked                   the good things from it and
to school. Some used to touch my breasts.                    avoid the bad ones
In boarding school I have more time to my
books.” Nakafeero Maria, Wobu-                           Growing from a child to a youth
lenzi Parents’ School, Luwero                            Going for P7 Vac.
                                                         Moving from a camp to a home
In life, there is always change.
Maria left a day school to join a                       What other changes do you know?
boarding school. That is change.                        How do you feel about those changes?
Change could also include:                              Some changes can make you feel happy
 Promotion to another class                            and others can make you sad.
 Joining secondary school
 Stopping to go to school                              Some changes can make you learn
 Joining another school                                useful things. Others can try to teach
 Moving from village to town or                        you bad manners. You can also learn
     town to the village                                some good manners from change.
 Your parents dying
                                                                                                                                 Nakafeero
                                                                                                                                 Wobulenzi     Maria
    I was in a school for only girls.                                                                                                      Parents’ Sch
                                                                                                                                                        oo      l, Luwero
    I went to S1 in a school where there are
    boys. This was a big change. I feared
    boys. They teased me. I wanted to stop
    schooling. But my friends encouraged
    me. I also reported to the teacher and
    he talked to the boys. They stopped
    teasing me. I can now read my books.
    Young Talkers, if you have any problems                                             u from
                                                                        ange to stop yo
    talk to someone about them. Nalu-                   Do not allow ch udies or behaving
                                                                       st
                                                        finishing your               s, talk to
    mansi Sharon, S1, Luwero SS.                                       t any problem
                                                        well. If you ge them.
                                                                        t
                                                        someone abou                                                                                It is   tenyears of
 Stand for what is good for your body, education and your future                                                                   Star                Young Talk
                                                                                                                                   letter
                                                                                                                                                     We are changing your
                                                                                                                               I would want           newspaper to make it
                                                                                                                            Young Talk to have       more fun. In your club,
                                                                                                                              more cartoons         discuss what you would
                                                                                                                              and few words         like to change or add in
                                                                                                                              with stories of
                                                                                                                            long ago. Winners
                                                                                                                              should be sent
                                                                                                                                                      Young Talk.
                                                                                                                              on trips so that
                                                                                                                             many can write.           Write to Young
                                                                                                                                Ayo Gloria,          Talk P.O.Box 22366
                                                                                                                               Banuhule PS,               Kampala.
                                                                                                                                 Kampala
                                                                                                                                                     BEST LETTERS
   As change happens, you may find new people                       Be strong: say NO to what they are telling you.
   who want you to do wrong things like                             Remember the good things your parents,
   going for discos or having sex.                                  teachers and religious leaders taught you.
    YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7
                                                                                                                                           Young Talk, October 2008    1
Going through change
Change can come with many new and different things: freedom, new dressing styles, new friends. BUT change
may also come with problems or bad news. You have to stay strong. The way you behave when change comes
is what will help you stay safe and achieve your goals.
                                                                Freedom
Growing up
                                                                No more books! I
Every person grows                                              have finished my PLE.
through the different                                           I have all the free-
stages. Slowly, you devel-
op breasts, for a boy your
                                                                dom. Bibanda here I                                         Life after
voice deepens.
                                                                 come!!
                                                                 You might be feeling                                       primary school
                                                                 this way after P7 ex-                                      I fear I may not get fees for secondary
You feel good. This                                              ams or after a school                                      school. In my P7 vacation I plan to go
change does not mean                                              term! Wait a minute!   life even when there               to a tailoring school and even if I do
to disobey or abuse your
                                                                                         is no one seeing you.              not make it I can survive.
parents and teachers.                                            Think about what         Put your time to good             Nakibuuka Catherine, 14,
Stay calm. Learn about         Uh Uh!! I am 13 and               might come because       use. Find something               Luwero Boys PS Luwero.
your changing body. Have        I feel very good!!!              of this freedom. Be      useful to do.                     Yes! This is good decision Catherine.
good friends.                                                    responsible for your
                                                                                                                            You may not be able to continue to
                                                                                                                            secondary after primary education.
                                                                         New dressing                                       This would be bad. But you need to
                                                ugh
                                      Go thro ly. Be
                                          e  s a fe                         styles                                          continue with your dreams. Join a vo-
                                                                                                                            cational training. Learn skills that can
                                    chang              hat
                                            with w s
                                    happy          A lw ay                                                                  help you earn a living.
                                            ve.
                                     you ha king at
                                          p lo  o
                                      kee                  to
                                                u want
                                      what yo re and
                                                  tu
                                       be in fu r it.
                                          work fo
                                                                                                  Fellow teachers talk to pupils about
                                                                                                  change. Teach them the challenges
                                                                                                  and solutions to these challenges.
                                                                                                  Ask pupils to talk about the changes
                                                                                                  they are experiencing.
  Be careful about boys or                               ld not
                                                You shouge                                        Encourage them to be assertive.
                                                            take
  girls who would want to                     allow chan    lues                                  Help them know that they always
  have sex with you. Speak                    away your va                                        have a choice and the choices they
                                                                                                  make determine the future.
  out clearly that you do                                                                         Ms Joy Namayanja, Teacher,
  not want sex.                                                                                   Wobulenzi Parents’ school
                                                                                                                                                          I can
 Sad change                                      Many children in Uganda do not have
                                                 parents. They live with guardians or
                                                 alone.                                                                 Your dreams is what
                                                                                                                                                        have fun
                                                                                                                                                         without
                                                                                                                                                         disturb-
                                                                                                                        you would want to               ing other
 One Sunday we                                   When this change happens to you, be                                                                   people and
                                                                                                                        be in future.
 returned home                                   strong. Talk to someone. This will help                                When change comes,             getting HIV
 from church.                                    you feel better.                                                       remember what you
 We left our mother                                                                                                     want be in future.
                                                                                                                        Does what you want
 singing. Dad asked                              Remember, you have a life to live.                                     to do help you get
 us where mum                                    Accept your situation and look into                                    your goals?
 was and we told                                 the future.
 him she was still
 at church. When
 she returned they
 fought and dad
 chased her away. We are now with a
 stepmother. I used to get new clothes,
 but not any more. JT, ST Kizito Namu-
 gonde PS, Wakiso
                                                                                                  True HIV does not enter someone’s body through sharing
                                                                                                       food, bathing or moving and playing with an infected
                                                                                                                  person.
 Your change may come with bad news
 like losing a parent/relative. This can                                                          You can only get HIV through sex, an infected mother to her
                                                                                                  baby, sharing sharp objects like razor blades and wounds if
 be painful. It is okay to grieve. You
                                                                                                  they get in touch with infected person’s fluids. Do not hate
 may cry if you feel like. But you should                                                         or run away from your friends if they have HIV. Make friends
 also remember that you are not alone.                                                            with children who have HIV and play with them.
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Young Talk, October 2008                 
                                                                                                                           The story continues......                                   Key messages
                                                                                                                           As the school term ends, Ms Matata         l                             It is important to pay
                                                                                                                           introduces holiday projects to the class.                                attention to teachers.
                                                                                                                           The projects are in a book she shows       l                             Vocational skills
                                                                                                                           class. Sara is interested in the book, but                               (practical skills) are very
                                                                                                                           other children are not. She borrows the                                  useful to you and your
                                                                                                                           book from Ms. Matata and gets a useful                                   community.
                                                                                                                           idea for a holiday project.                l                             Do not go with the
                                                                                                                                                                                                    crowd. Choose what is
                               THE SPECIAL GIFT                                                                                                                                                     best for you.
                                                                                                                           Project- Useful activity
                                                        THE LAST CLASS FOR THIS TERM IS NEARLY OVER
                                                                                                                                                                                                             AND HERE IS AN
                                                                                                                LOOK AT THIS                                                                                IMPROVED GRAIN
                                                                                                              NEW BOOK I JUST                                                                                STORAGE BIN....
                                                                                                              RECIEVED. IT HAS
                                                                                                              ALOT OF IDEAS....
                                                                                                               HERE IS A PUMP
                            BEFORE WE CLOSE
                          FOR THE YEAR, I WANT
                         TO SHO YOU SOME NEW
                           PROJECTS YOU CAN
                             DO DURING THE
                              HOLIDAYS....
                                                                                                                                                                  OKAY, OKAY IT’S TIME TO GO,
                                                                                      OHOEEE ! MISS QUEEN OF QUESTIONS HAS                                       ANYONE WHO WANTS TO STUDY
                                       HOW DOES IT                                    STARTED AGAIN ! WE’LL BE HERE FOR THE                                     THIS BOOK CAN STAY FOR A WHILE
                                     WORK? WHAT MAKES                                           WHOLE HOLIDAYS !                                                AND COPY THE DESIGNS. THAT ALL                COME ON SARA
                                        IT BETTER?                                                                                                              FOR THIS TERM. GOOD LUCK WITH
                                                                                                                                                                       YOUR EXAM RESULTS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 DONT WAIT FOR ME....
                                                                                                                                                                                                                LET’S MEET TOMORROW
 PLEASE, MAY I LOOK AT                                                      ZINGO ! LOOK        IT’S A SPECIAL STOVE THAT BURNS                           MS MATATA, DO
THAT BOOK, MS MATATA?                                                          AT THIS             LESS THAN HALF OF THE FIRE                           YOU THINK I COULD
                                                                                                     WOOD. AND IT’S ALMOST                                 MAKE THIS ?
OF COURSE SARA, YOU
                                                                                                           SMOKELESS...
CAN STAY AS LONG AS
     YOU LIKE
                                                                                               OF COURSE, BRING IT BACK
 THAT ONE IS HARDER                             CAN I BORROW THE BOOK SO
                                                                                              TOMORROW AND I’LL HELP IF
   THAN IT LOOKS.                               ICAN STUDY THE DESIGN AND
                                                                                             THERE’S ANYTHING YOU DON’T
 SARA....MAY BE YOU                                      COPYT ?
                                                                                                     UNDERSTAND
  COULD ASK YOUR
  FRIENDS TO HELP
                                                                                                                                    I’LL ASK JUMA AND
                                                                                                                                    AMINA TO HELP ME.                                                               SARA RUNS HOME TO TELL
                                                                                             OH, MS MATATA,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    HER MOTHER AND GRAND-
                                                                                              THANK YOU !
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    MOTHER ABOUT THE STOVE
                                                                                                                                                                                                 AND IS ALMOST SOKELESS !
                            MAMA ! GRANDMA ! I’VE                                 I WANT TO MAKE A NEW STOVE FOR UNCLE !              IT BURNS MUCH LESS
                              GOT A GREAT IDEA
                                                                                                                                          FIREWOOD !
                                                                                                                      YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7
                                                                                                                                                  Young Talk, October 2008      1
                                                                                         Last month when I was in my                  grow bigger, could this be true?
                              Young TALK                                                 periods, I experienced pain in my            Buda Moses, 12,
                              P.O.Box 22366 Kampala                                      private parts. When I shared with            Megiri PS,
                                                                                         my grandmother, she advised me to            Kajo Kiji County
                                                                                         have sex. I am still a virgin. Is this       Sudan
                                                                                         the best thing to do?
                                                                                         Christine,                                   Moses,
                                                                                         Bunyangire PS,                               Why do you want a big penis?
                                                                                         Bundibugyo                                   Do not believe what your friends say.
                                                                                                                                      At your age you are still experiencing
                                                                                         Dear Christine                               body changes. Your penis will grow
                                                                                         Your grandmother’s advice is                 bigger just like the rest of your body.
                                                                                         misleading. Keep your virginity!             Having sex may lead you to get HIV/
                                                                                         Many girls get pains during menstrua-        STDs. You can also make a girl
                                                                                         tion. Sex is not the cure; instead you       pregnant.
                                                                                         could end up pregnant or getting
                                                                                         infected with HIV/AIDS. You can take a       Are you ready
                                                                                         pain killer like panadol to ease the pain.   to be a father?
                                                                                         If it is too much go to health center for    Stay safe by not
   Kaliro Church of Uganda Young Talk club
  We thank Straight Talk for Caring about us.                                            advice.                                      having sex.
                                                                                                                                      Counsellor
What makes a baby of seven                    I am 14. I had sex with three              If I have sex in the night, HIV/AIDS         Magomu
months get erections?                         boys the same day, now I am                will not attack me because they              Stella
HB Ambrose,                                   pregnant and worried. Who is               say that HIV/AIDS is asleep in the
Revival Day and Boarding PS,                  the father of my baby?                     night. Is this true?
Kampala                                       MM,                                        Pieta Paul, 14 ,
                                                                                                                                                  Nora and
                                              Yumbe PS                                   Acumet PS,                                            and Caroline of
Dear HB,                                                                                 Amuria                                              Kama PS say Young
Babies erect due to change in tem-            Sex with three boys on the same                                                                  Talk has helped
perature. After covering them for a           day! Are they your boyfriends?                                                                  them to keep in
                                                                                         No it is wrong. HIV does not sleep like
                                                                                                                                                   School,
whole night and you uncover them              Did they force you?                        us. It is active in the blood and sexual                   Mbale.
in the morning, the coldness causes           MM, you must be going through a            fluids all the time. If you have
their penises to erect. It means that         difficult time. Any of those three         unprotected sex with an infected
blood is flowing into the walls of the        boys can be the father. But you            person at night, you will also
penis. Erections in babies mean they          cannot know until the baby is born.        get the virus. Stay safe by not
are healthy and normal. If a baby boy         Doctors can check the baby’s and           having sex.
does not get erections the parents            the boys’ blood. This can help them
should take him to a doctor.                  know who the father is. But this test      My penis is small and my
                                              can only be done in Kampala and it         friends told me that if I
                                              costs a lot of money. Good luck.           have sex my penis will
              Win a Book                                                                                               Know Your Body
                                                            What I have learnt in Young Talk
                                  Write and tell us        I learnt that children with disability also have rights.
                             when you said NO to sex.      Nabaasa N, 13, P5, ST Noah PS, Kampala
                                Tell us the full story.
                             Best 10 stories win story     I have learnt to encourage parents to
                             books. Write to Young Talk    immunise their children to avoid some
                                                           disabilities. Asiimwe Midresi 13, P5, Kyondo PS,
                              P.O.Box 22366 Kampala.
                                                           Bundibudgyo
                                                           All the 221 Young Talkers who have written
                                                           in win PRIZES. We will send them to you.                       One of the changes boys go through is the pro-
                                                                                                                          duction of semen. Semen is a white liquid that
                                                                                                                          comes out of the penis. Boys sometimes release
                                                           Get a piece of paper and a pen. Write down what
                                                                                                                          semen while they are asleep.
                                                           you have learnt in this newspaper. All letters win
    Get a gift from Young Talk                             prizes.
                                                                                                                          This is called a wet dream. Do not get
                                                                                                                          worried it is very normal. It happens only when
                                                                                                                          you are sleeping.
  My friend told me she want to run away from              Send your answers to Young Talk P.O.
  home. She says her mother is forcing her to              Box 22366 Kampala and WIN pads,                                Some boys feel ashamed. This is okay to feel
  get married. How can I help my her?                      books, pens and rulers                                         ashamed, but it is for most adolescents.
  Christine, 13, P5, Bugolo Junior PS,
  Kampala                                                    Publisher STRAIGHT             TALK FOUNDATION
                                                             4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, P. O. Box 22366, Kampala, Tel: (031) 262030/1, Fax: 534858, E-mail: strtalk@imul.com,
  If you were Christine, what would you do for               strtalk@straight-talk.or.ug, Executive Director: C. Watson; Communications Director: T. Agutu, Editorial
  your friend? Write the advice to Young Talk                Manager: E. Kimuli, Editors: G. Awekofua, M. Akello, D. Agaba, J. Abongowath, Chief Designer: M. Kalanzi,
  P. O. Box 22366 Kampala and get a gift.                    Designer: GB. Mukasa, Allan B. Dentine Printer: The New Vision. Young Talk is funded by DANIDA, DFiD & SIDA.