My name is Lipuo Agnes Mokhesi and I am 26 years old. I was born and raised in the rural areas of Lesotho, in the Mohale’s Hoek district at Maphutšeng. Being a girl child in rural areas with little or no awareness about sexual reproductive health poses a big threat. This is my story.
Sexual and reproductive health is not only vital for the social well-being of a girl child but also for her physical and mental health.
Most people from rural areas lack information on how to take proper care of themselves. For example, during my first menstruation, I was so naive that I fumbled through the basic steps of maintaining good hygiene. This was because I had no prior knowledge of what it was about. Not just menstruation—terms like safe sex, HIV prevention, mental health, and sexually transmitted infections were also very foreign to us.
Many of my friends and family members have been victims of teenage pregnancy, all because there was no substantial awareness or information available to prevent them from making life-altering decisions. If we knew then what we know now, our narrative would be different.
There is also the significant challenge of accessing healthcare workers and facilities. The nearest healthcare center is approximately a 10-kilometer walk from my home.
In addition to that, there is the constant stereotype and negligence from healthcare workers. Little or no hospitality is shown toward pregnant teenagers in these health centers; hence, even when there are complications, many pregnant teens avoid visiting hospitals, which should have been a haven for them.
Another challenge is the lack of attention, interest, and involvement of African parents in their children's lives. Most parents demonstrate little or no interest in the physical, mental, and emotional state of their children. This gap between parents and children has pushed many girls into the ever-open arms of predators.
There is always a way out of every challenge, and this is no exception. I urge all health stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and partners, to engage us in policymaking on how best to cater to youth in rural areas.
The focus has been on urban areas, while youth in rural areas are neglected.
The services at all health facilities should be friendly, conducive, and flexible, allowing youths to feel free to visit.
Outreaches should be conducted more often to accommodate people living far from health facilities.
And parents should draw close enough to understand their children better.
Being a girl child from the rural area, I know we can change our narrative. For ourselves and for Africa.
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The #54FacesofAfrica campaign, launched in December 2023 at the 6th YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, is a collaborative initiative by United Nations Volunteers (UNV), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the YouthConnekt Africa Secretariat (YCAS). This campaign empowers African youth by offering them a platform to share their stories, solutions, and innovations, and contribute to dialogue and policy on Africa’s development.
Lipuo is part of the YouthConnekt Africa Summit 2024 and delivered a motivational talk on her journey as youth participant from Lesotho at the UNV-led side event on 9 November in Kigali.