By Marilyn King –
Planned Parenthood Association Sierra Leone (PPASL) in collaboration with International Plan Parenthood Federation (IPPF) PPAG, Rutgers, Centers of Excellence, will today 29th November end a four-day workshop title “EmpowerHER”.
The workshop which is funded by Global Fears Canada through IPPF for the next six years attracted EmpowerHer delegations from West, East and Central Africa, such as Ghana, Malawai, Nigeria, Nairobi, and Netherlands and started from the 26th November will end today 29th November 2024 at Sierra Palms Hotel in Freetown with the theme: CSE Sustainability and Scalability.
PPASL Executive Director, Dr. Sarian Kamara, spoke about PPASL as a coalition member of EmpowerHer project, coordinated by PPAG.
She furthered that the project fix to increase equitable access in Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) information services for young people.
Dr. Kamara continued to explain that PPAG organized the four days’ workshop on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for the implementing organizations that are presents at the workshop from the different countries.
She stated that the workshop offers and share expertise and knowledge to support those countries that are present at the workshop, to design, delivered and advocate scale up high quality in CSE within the African region as a whole.
The PPASL Executive Director maintained that the choice of PPASL is to host the four-day workshop as a result of the tremendous strips they have made as an Association and advocating for the inclusion of CSE that now known as Child and Adolescent Life Skills Education in Sierra Leone, in the school curriculum.
She concluded that PPASL also advocated for CSE to be considered as a stand-alone examinable subject in the school curriculum and it will be able to achieve.
PPAG Executive Director from Ghana, Madam Abena Adubea Amoah expressed appreciation to the PPASL President for their tremendous work.
She continued that they are happy and excited about the workshop, describing it as an opportunity for them to learn different things.
“I am very happy to join other colleagues from different countries and interacted with them during these four days. I am also very happy to be in Sierra Leone because Sierra Leoneans are very accommodating and they are peace loving citizens,” she said.
The Architect of Cooperation Gender Technical Support to NAS and Board Chairman of PPASL, Dracus Joseph, said that they have been working with the Association so that effective Sexual Reproductive Health are carried out successfully.
He furthered that they have interest in CSE and it also a very important concept and very useful for the Sierra Leonean society.
He said that helps them, that the young people informed decisions to know what they are doing, and helps the young people to practice Sexual Reproductive Health issues.
He noted that CSE has been neglected that is why he thinks they still have problems with teenage pregnancy, low contraceptive use and abortion.
He stated that if CSE had come earlier and taken it seriously they may not be having all of these problems up till date.
Presentations from the different countries of CSE marked a significant step in promoting a pathway to sustainability and scalability in Sexual Reproductive Health.
