Pamoza Youth Org Sends 50k SRHR Texts Weekly to Northern Malawi

Malawi-Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization uses TNM lines to send 50,000 SRHR text messages per week to people in the northern region in an effort to increase demand for SRHR services among young people, writes Wezzie Mwangonde.

The group was established in 2020 and registered as a youth organization with the Karonga District Youth Office in 2022.

Its goal is to enable youth to become self-sufficient and important contributors to community development.

According to the programmes manager, Gomezgani Mhango, the organisation has partnered with TNM company to send 50 thousand SRHR text messages per week throughout this year through the Wanangwa Wane project, which is implemented in Chitipa and Karonga districts under the jurisdiction of Traditional Authorities Mwenewenya and Wasambo.

This is being done in order to raise awareness in the Northern region and mobilise parents, community leaders, and youth.

Mhango stated that the organisation employs a number of strategies, including educating young people about sexual health in-depth and encouraging their peers to seek out sexual and reproductive health care.

Mhango said: “Other strategies include increasing the number of youth clubs in and outside of schools, raising awareness through theatre, outreach, guidance, and counseling through road and community shows, and enhancing social behaviour change communication on multimedia platforms to generate demand for youth-friendly health care.

“We collaborate closely with clubs inside and outside of schools, health facilities, mother groups, as well as other key stakeholders.”

According to Mhango, we have also successfully engaged community members through peer group network activities at health facilities.

In the districts of Chitipa and Karonga, the Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization has founded and trained five outside clubs and six school clubs.

John Gondwe, the chairperson of the Thunduti Youth Empowerment Club in the Karonga district, praised the Pamoza Tingwaniska Youth Organization for coming up with a variety of initiatives that will enable young people to find and use their talents while promoting support and prevention services to lessen the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in the nation.

He continued by saying that by establishing youth clubs in rural areas, girls will be able to effectively assert their right to an education, thereby lowering the number of early marriages and pregnancies, a problem that existed prior to the formation of the organisation.

“As a member of the Thunduti Youth Empowerment Club, I'm thrilled to be working with Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization. Together, we constantly work to increase awareness of sexual and reproductive health rights in order to support young people in making mature sexual choices,” said Gondwe.

Alice Kabaka, a member of the Thunduti Mother Group, agreed with John Gondwe that fewer girls at Thunduti became pregnant in 2022 as a result of increased access to information on sexual reproductive health and rights through text messages and awareness campaigns and that after giving birth, these girls would return to school.

According to Kabaka, they have never received group support from an organization like Pamoza, which has educated them on a variety of issues affecting young people, particularly those living in rural areas, such as SRHR myths.

“Because we want to promote and support SRHR among young people, we are more than willing to support Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization,” said Kabaka.

With funding from the Brueckmann Foundation and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation, Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization has been carrying out the Wanangwa Wane project in the districts of Chitipa and Karonga since July 2022.