Adolescence: Critical stage in life
Adolescence, which is a critical stage in young people's lives, is characterised by curiosity, experimentation and reckless conduct.
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It is a period in young people's lives if not well checked can result in devastating negative consequences on the individual, family and society at large.
Teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, drug and substance abuse, deaths due to unsafe abortions are prominent features of people in this age group.
It is for these reasons that 120 peer educators have been trained in various adolescent topics to enable them to reach out to their colleagues in the rural communities on the dangers of living unguided lives. They were taken through demonstrations, role-play, group discussions and drama in the five-day exercise.
The participants were drawn from Asunafo North and South, Asutifi North and South and Tano North and South districts, all in the Brong Ahafo Region.
It was organised by the Institute of Social Research and Development (ISRAD), an NGO, under its GHARH project that educates adolescents with reproductive health messages, and funded by UKaid, a United Kingdom development organisation.
The Project Coordinator of ISRAD, Abdul-Majeed Ayeribe, indicated that adolescents often felt shy to approach adults with issues on sexuality because of the fear of being scorned or rebuked. They, however, found solace and comfort discussing such matters with their peers.
“In view of this, and considering the fact that the GHARH project intends to reach out to adolescents with reproductive health messages, ISRAD recruited and trained 20 peer educators in each of its six operational districts in the Brong Ahafo Region under the GHARH Project,” he intimated.
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According to the coordinator, the services of experienced facilitators were employed to train the peer educators. Mr Ayeribe, therefore, entreated the participants to go back to their respective communities and make the people feel their impact by serving as ambassadors on adolescent health issues.
The coordinator further admonished them to endeavour to live good and exemplary lives in order to influence a positive change in the behaviours of their peers in their various communities.
Caution
He, however, cautioned them not to arrogate to themselves the functions of health professionals by prescribing medicines or treatment for their peers with adolescent problems but rather refer medical cases to the nearest health centres for professional care.
Appreciation
On behalf of her colleagues, Ms Mary Tawiah expressed appreciation to ISRAD and its partners for the implementation of the GHARH project. She pledged the resolve of her colleagues to eschew acts that could endanger their lives and truncate their dreams for brighter future.
She further promised to put what they had learnt into practice by sensitising their peers to adolescent reproductive health issues.