Aftermath of Ebola in Liberia

http://www.vitalvoices.org/blog/2015/07/aftermath-ebola-liberia

One Liberia Advocacy Online Radio

One Liberia Advocacy Online Radio

http://www.oneliberiaradio.org

http://primcast.com/radio/608029

Talking to Pregnant Teens About Prevention on STIs and STDs

Talking to Pregnant Teens  About Prevention on STIs and STDs

Sexually Transmitted Injection and Diseases is not a widely discussed subject among pregnant teens in Liberia and Sierra Leone. But in many cultures and communities, talking about STIs is still considered taboo. This is because nobody wants the next person to know if they have Sexually Transmitted Infection. Talking about STIs and STDs will have to be  encourage to enable the teens to have more education about STIs. However, sexual health must be key part of community health and we should discuss it.

In Liberia and Sierra Leone, teenage pregnancy rates have been increasing during this Ebola Outbreak and government have not attempt to step in with various media campaign to create awareness.

One Liberia Advocacy Online Radio with Straight From The Heart will be doing radio jingles, interviews and group discussion with two communities in Liberia. We want  to further explore the sexual health issues and talk about how to fine health centers for these young females pregnant teens test themselves and how local efforts to address these issues.

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Domestic Violence and Sexually transmitted diseases: how many women in Liberia and Sierra Leone experience it during prenatal?

Yesterday I had a meeting with Chouchou Namegabe, who is the coordinator at Association des Femmes des Medias du Sud Kivu(AFEM) and we talked about Violence against women in Liberia and Congo DRC and the aftermath. Since she has been working with women who have been abused violently, I asked her whether these women who had been victims of sexual and physical abuse had been checked for sexually transmitted diseases. With my new idea I believe that these women are more likely to experienced a sexually transmitted disease(STDs).

These violence and sexual violence women are major health problems and huge violations of girls and women's human rights which are not talked about in communities where these women live. It is not just the campaign and demonstrations, it is about reaching out to these girls and women who are traumatized because of these acts. Many girls and women who have undergone the procedure are been stigmatized in their communities.

Therefore, before we wait for the laws to be pass and implement let us give space to these girls and women in order to listen to their stories. New laws are made for the city people and they are not been enforced. Yet the poor victims are still suffering  and have their cases still pending in court.

Listen to One Liberia Advocacy online Radio as we do group discussion on Domestic Violence and Sexually transmitted diseases. http://www.oneliberiaradio.org

Sexually Transmitted Infection Education among Teens and Women

STDs are more common than you think. How many young people really want to know prevalence information for their communities in Liberia and Sierra Leone? I strongly believe that if you have the knowledge will increase their perceive susceptibility to STDs and desire to take precautionary action.

When is it safe to tell your partner you have Sexually Transmitted Infection in Liberia and Sierra Leone?

When is it safe  to tell your partner you have Sexually Transmitted Infection in Liberia and Sierra Leone?

STI stigma is so huge in Liberia and Sierra Leone and most people it is  difficult for them to understand that you are affected by one or many STDs. While I was growing up STIs was not talked about to our girlfriends not even our sisters. Sexually transmitted was known to us but not talked about in our gossips. Most of us as young people was easy to interpret STIs as punishment for promiscuity. Most young girls my age with STIs were often characterized as careless, whore, messy, dirty, or stupid. When someone is diagnosed with STD no matter how positive she was in her decisions, no matter how choosy  she was she was going to be talked about to other friends and faced with stigma. This was extremely difficult because no one was  prepared  for this, and she will almost certainly go through it alone.

I am begging  all my people (Men and women) here let us talk  to our children so they can know that STIs are preventable.

Yes. Each STIs causes different health problems. But overall, untreated STIs can cause cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, pregnancy problems, widespread injection to  other parts of the body, organ damage, and even death.

Listen to One Liberia Advocacy Radio online for facts about STIs

The Red Elephant Foundation: Straight from the Heart

The Red Elephant Foundation: Straight from the Heart: Image (c) Agnes Fallah Kamara Umunna Agnes Fallah Kamara Umunna is the founder of Straight From The Heart and the brains behind t...

How Can We Reduce STDs Among Adolescences Between 12-25 Years And Women Between 26-45 Years In Banjor Community In Monrovia, Liberia?

How Can We Reduce STDs Among Adolescences Between 12-25 Years And Women Between 26-45 Years In Banjor Community In Monrovia, Liberia?

In Liberia and Sierra Leone, where I grew up sexually active teens experience high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and women face excessive risk. STIs are more likely to remain undetected in teens and women than in men, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment, and untreated STIs are more likely to lead to complications in women, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and cervical cancer.

In Banjor community Monrovia Liberia, many teens and women do not have money to go to health centers and hospitals to get tested for STIs. Poverty and other socioeconomic factors contribute to STI risk in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Teens and women living in poverty may not perceive the risk of STIs or may not practice preventive behaviors. As most of us from Liberia and Sierra Leone know by now that cultural traditions that value women’s passivity and subordination also diminish the ability of many of our daughters, sister and mothers to adequately protect themselves, to refuse unwanted sex, and to negotiate condom use.

As domestic violence is big in these two countries, dating violence and sexual assault play a role in STI transmission in our villages, towns and cities. Majority of our daughter, sisters and mothers who experience dating violence are less likely to use condoms and feel more uncomfortable negotiating condom use. I have talked to some of my former story tellers who were female ex-fighters who I have taken to hospital in Liberia had been physically or sexually abused.

In Liberia and Sierra Leone, we need to improve the health conditions of teens and women because STDs are a very serious problem not only because they are widespread , but also because they may have delayed, long term consequences, including poor maternal health, ectopic pregnancy, infant illness and death, cervical cancer, infertility and increases susceptibility to HIV.

Many teens and women are really suffering these and other effects of STDS and hinder their ability to provide for themselves and their families and also contribute to their communities. How can we reduce STIs among adolescences between 12-25 years and women between 26-45 years in Banjor Community in Monrovia, Liberia?

Now am looking for any foundations, organizations and individuals who will help us set a health center for teens and women to obtain professional assistance to prevent STIs and avoid transmitting infection and receives treatments. 

Follow us on our blog: http://oneliberiaadvocacyradio.blogspot.com

Teenage Pregnancy What is the reality? Story From Peagie Foday.

Peagie Foday is the Founder of PEAGIE WOOBAY SCHOLARSHIP FUND 

Empowering the Girl Child in Sierra Leone, who was 16 years old when she became pregnant. Straight From The Heart and One Liberia Advocacy Radio want to embark on National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy by listening to stories from teen who were pregnant and have made progress in their lives and their education as a woman. Out team want the campaign to seeks how to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families and in particular, to help ensure that children are born into stable homes.

We want Peagie Foday to work with us in this campaign to start her own blog where she will talk about efforts to prevent too early pregnancy and challenges these young girls encounter.

All I know in my own time and now these young girls are often told about how to reduce the risk of pregnancy and STIs(sexually transmitted infection) but rarely are they given guidance on how to successfully navigate ways to prevent and stay safe.

One Liberia Advocacy Online Radio's Agnes Fallah Kamara Umunna spoke with her about teen pregnancy and the challenges associated issues.

AU: How old were you when you had your first child?

PF: I was barely 16

AU: What were some of the challenges that you faced being a parent at a young age?

PF: It was very difficult as I was a child myself. Imagine a 16year old not been able to sleep all night because she had to breastfeed. I was so tired in the morning and then there was the washing of nappies/diapers, feeding the baby in the morning, washing it and taking care of it. I just could not..I had no strength.

AU: How did you cope with the difficulties of raising a child? 

PF: I honestly could not cope. A girl child should not be a mother. The tasks are just too much for a girl child to do. I had to depend on my family for so much help and thank God I did get from all my family. And for me to be able to go back to school, my elder sister took my son at 5months.

AU: Did you have a second child while you were still in your teenage years?

PF: No. Went straight on prevention

AU: What would you tell a teenage girl who was considering becoming a mother? 

PF: Not to become a mother. The teenage body is never ready for motherhood. Teenage pregnancy causes 40% of mortality rate at child birth according WHO report in 2012. In my case my pelvic was too small and still is. I could not deliver naturally and had it not been that I was well taken care of health wise, I would have died. I had a C section and that has been the case for my kids after.

AU: If you could go back in time and do it all over again would you do it the same?

PF: No, I will not as it was really difficult even though I had help from my family. And we give birth to children to take care of them and love them. I could not take care of my son. The first time I bought him clothes was on his 3rd birthday, with pocket money I had put together. I don't think that was fair on my son, but I could not buy him clothing before that. I felt so bad that when I could afford it I spoil him to nothing which was not too good.

AU: What advice do you give teens to prepare them for what lies ahead for them?

PF: I will advise them to take their education seriously as that's what will sustain them in the future. To prevent themselves from teenage pregnancy.

AU: Do you refer them to places where they can find assistance? 

PF: Yes, to go to their public health care centers to seek assistance which is normally free. In the case of the teenage mums under my scheme who have gone back to school, we put them on preventives at the local health care centers. The problem girls face is even though institutions like PLAN and like make preventives available, they always think they have to pay for it at the centers or some centers do ask for money though it should be free. We had to physically go with the girls and make sure they got it for free and have regular check up.

AU: How can we educate them about prevention?

PF: Through workshops during which health workers should be present to sensitize them on the risks of teenage pregnancy and show them the venues where they can access preventions.

AU: What are their risks of Sexually Transmitted Diseases?

PF: Enormous risks as they normally have unprotected sex

AU: What would you do to help prevent teen pregnancy.

PF: Massive sensitization and access to prevention for girls.

AU: In your own opinion, What option do you see teen doing more, as in, keeping the baby, adoption, or abortion 

PF: It depends on their environment. In rural areas in Sierra Leone the girls tend more to keep the babies as they are left with no choice. In urban areas, they will go along with abortion.

AU: What resources are available in the community to help a pregnant teen?

PF: Not much. They are shunned in life and thus left to find for themselves, and in most cases they end up to be completely drop out. That why organizations like the Peagie Woobay Scholarship Fund play a vital role in the lives of these vulnerable girls. They are rarely given second chances like i had. So the foundation today puts teen mums back to school and mentor them throughout. These girls find confidences in themselves again.

AU: Can a pregnant teen continue in school with her education? 

PF: Sure they can. Like I did and succeeded. That is why I use my story, my dream to work with them. Shows them that though I'm against teenage pregnancy due to the risks, but that if it happens it is not the end of their lives and they can return to school and become educated and independent women.

AU: Ten years after a teen has her baby, what is their poverty rate? 

PF: Well it depends if she did not return to school to empower herself, then she will continue having babies and the poverty rate will be high as she cannot fend for herself.

AU: Is the rate of teen pregnancy in our community higher than the national average?

PF: Sierra Leone has had a very high rate of teenage pregnancy for some time now. It is counted among the first five countries which is not good. And with the advent of Ebola, it has gotten worse. Schools were closed since July 2014. Obviously the girls staying home with nothing to do, though not an excuse, became pregnant thus increasing the rate of teen pregnancy.

Reporting for One Liberia Advocacy Online Radio this is Peagie Foday Founder Peagie Woobay Scholarship Fund talking about Teen Pregnancy to Agnes Fallah Kamara Umunna, Radio Producer and Presenter One Liberia Advocacy Online radio.

21-DAY INTENSIVE TEMPERATURE CHECK LAUNCHED IN CLARA TOWN

Written by Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

http://www.frontpageafricaonline.com/index.php/news/4248-21-day-intensive-temperature-check-launched-in-clara-town

Monrovia - A local and International civil society and community based organizations Straight from The Heart, Monday launched a 21-day temperature check scheme in the Clara Town community in Monrovia. The initiative, according to the group is intended to help create awareness and combat the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia. The project was launched under the theme: ‘Listening to Communities; Engaging Community Partners to Know Ebola and Prevent Transmission of EVD 21 Days Body Temperature Check’.

Facia Harris, Program coordinator for the project, said it is a significant step by local and international non-profit organizations to create awareness in communities in and around Monrovia on the importance of Ebola prevention mechanisms, which includes 21 days of body temperature monitoring. “We are reaching out to 10 households in the community to deliver the education of Ebola prevention and transmission by checking and monitoring body temperatures for 21 days,” She said.

She said the team will also be providing tutorials to all school-aged children in the 10 households in and around Monrovia on how to protect themselves against catching the deadly virus, which has already claimed the lives of thousands of Liberians and people in neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone.  “The team is working to increase the community level of knowledge and understanding of Ebola, reshape attitudes and increase awareness, promote safer practices, prevent EVD transmission, and most importantly, provide education to children in the wake of the Ebola virus carnage on the general population,” she said.

The 21 days body temperature check campaign is being carried out in partnership with several local civil society organizations, including:“Straight From The Heart (SFTH), One Liberia Advocacy Radio online Paramount Young Women Initiative (PAYOWI), Citizens Organized for the Promotion of Transparency and Accountability (COPTA) Serene Health For All Mobile Clinic Piso Community Outreach (PCO), OCI Farm Training Organization Uniting Distant Stars Inc., and the Ministry of Health Radio Journalists.

This 21-Day project will according to the group will entail preventive measures such as recording body temperature of contacts, washing of hands, distribution of hand Sanitizers and education on personal hygiene and health care measures for 10 homes. “The campaign also intends to give people the opportunity to tell their stories, their pains, their fears, agonies, joys and expectations.

The organizers plan is to highlight the stories of other Ebola fighters, their frustrations, challenges and successes, and hence cover the effect of Ebola on various aspects of lives in the communities, especially new habits, changed cultures and economic failures. “This is an adventure, which will involve community based groups and organizations breaking new grounds and reaching out to the unheard voices of the Ebola battle,” she stated.

Listening to Communities; Engaging Community Partners to Know Ebola and Prevent Transmission of EVD 21 Days Body Temperature Goal of Outreach In Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Place: Clara Town Community Town Hall Date: Monday January 12th 2015 Time: 8.00am Press Contacts: Agnes Fallah Kamara Umunna agnesumunna@yahoo.com	Facia B. Harris Ultimate828@yahoo.com

January 12 – Monrovia, Liberia, Local and International civil society and community base organizations launch 21 days of temperature check to help create awareness and combat the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia. The project is been launched under the Theme: Listening to Communities; Engaging Community Partners to Know Ebola and Prevent Transmission of EVD 21 Days Body Temperature Check.

According to Agnes Mam Fallah-Kamara Umunna, Executive Director and Founder of Straight From The Heart and One Liberia Radio, the project is a significant step by local and international non-profit organizations to create awareness in communities in and around Monrovia on the importance of prevention mechanisms, which includes 21 days of body temperature monitoring.

“We are reaching out to 10 households in the community to deliver the education of Ebola prevention and transmission by checking and monitoring body temperatures for 21 days” She said. In addition, the team of civil society organizations will also be providing tutorials to all school-age children in the 10 households in and around Monrovia on other how to protect themselves against catching the deadly virus which has already claimed the lives of thousands of Liberians and people in neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone.

The team is working to increase community level of knowledge and understanding of Ebola, reshape attitudes and increase awareness, promote safer practices, prevent EVD transmission, and most importantly, provide education to children in the wake of the Ebola virus carnage on the general population.

The 21 days body temperature check campaign partners include;

·        Straight From The Heart (SFTH)

·        One Liberia Advocacy Radio online

·        Paramount Young Women Initiative (PAYOWI)

·        Citizens Organized for the Promotion of Transparency and Accountability (COPTA)

·        Serene Health For All Mobile Clinic

·        Piso Community Outreach(PCO)

·        OCI Farm Training Organization

·        Uniting Distant Stars Inc.

·        Ministry of Health

·        Local Radio Journalists

This 21-Day project will entail preventive measures such as recording body temperature of contacts, washing of hands, distribution of hand sanitizers and education on hygiene and personal health care measures.

The campaign also intends to give people the opportunity to tell their stories, their pains, their fears, agonies, joys and expectations. The organizers plan is to highlight the stories of other Ebola fighters, their frustrations, challenges and successes, and hence cover the effect of Ebola on various aspects of lives in the communities, especially new habits, changed cultures and economic failures. This is an adventure, which will involve community based groups and organizations breaking new grounds and reaching out to unheard voices of the Ebola battle.

With boots on the ground, engaging communities at the frontline, and raising awareness on fight against Ebola community base organization are ready to finally kick Ebola out of Liberia.