By Tonderai J. Mtetwa
Three youth centres in Mashonaland West Province are providing free, easily accessible and acceptable youth-friendly services to adolescents and young people in the province. The three youth centres – Kasanze, Magunje and Mutorashanga, are sought-after healthcare destinations for adolescents and young people aged 10 – 24 in rural communities they are located.
They are addressing youth challenges such as teenage pregnancy, child marriage, maternal mortality, Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), HIV and drug and substance use. Available youth-friendly services include HIV Testing, counselling on SRHR, treatment of minor ailments, information dissemination and edutainment.
“Youth centres have stood out not because they have the most modern medication and highest technology in diagnostic and equipment but because we offer youth-friendly services that resonate with the health needs of adolescents and young people,” said Mr Cuthbert Zvaraya, Youth Health Advisor for Kasanze Youth Centre.
Community engagement is also being done through allowing community cadres to participate in the quarterly Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) Community Committee meetings and this is tailored to promote, provide and protect the health and well-being of young people. “The youth centres are also collaborating with local leaders, volunteers and other health workers for effective responses to SRHR issues affecting adolescents and young people and improving SRHR outcomes for them,” added Mr Justin Gwatidzo, Youth Facilitator for Mutorashanga Youth Centre.
The eternally charismatic youth centres have free action-packed activities, which are executed with unprecedented detail and aplomb by dedicated and well-trained health service providers and are breath of fresh air in their communities. The youth centres have also embraced the power of harnessing the power of social media through creating Facebook pages and engaging young people on WhatsApp. The youth centres have built a good reputation for themselves in the province and are assisting adolescents and young people without bias, prejudice and discrimination because this can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.