Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, sukulwenkosi.dube@chronicle.co.zw
THE role of mentoring adolescent girls and young women is not one being taken lightly by National Aids Council (NAC) Sista2Sista programme mentors as it involves safeguarding the youngsters against ills such as HIV infection, teenage pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
Under the programme, ambassadors have been trained to mentor 50 adolescent girls and young women at a go.
The Sista2Sista programme offers a safe space for adolescent girls to speak with mentors and each other about their problems. Girls in the club learn about sexual and reproductive health and rights, financial literacy and how to navigate difficult social situations, including coercive relationships.
The girls undergo a one-year long training where their mentors seek to empower them in order to make smart choices.
In Mangwe District, Macingwane Village mentor, Ms Liluba Ngwenya meets with her mentees weekly and discusses various HIV related issues. Her mentees are non-school going girls between the ages 10 to 24 years.
“As a mentor under the Sista2Sista programme, my role is to take the young girls through a series of topics that will equip them with knowledge and information that will enable them to make informed and wise decisions, which will protect them against HIV infection and other dangers. The programme also seeks to empower the young girls,” she said.
Ms Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, a mentor from Matjinge area in Bulilima District said her role is not only limited to the weekly sessions but also involves following up on the girls even when they are at their homes.
She said mentoring the girls can help protect them from risks of teenage pregnancies, STIs and HIV infection.
“I have been a mentor for four years and I have a strong passion for adolescent girls and young women and safeguarding their future. There are a lot of dangers, which these youngsters are exposed to,” she said.
Ms Ndlovu said some of the youngsters do not live with their parents, which leaves them with limited supervision. She said others dropped out of school and are now working as domestic workers. Ms Ndlovu said some of the girls are single mothers faced with the pressure of raising their children, which exposes them.
“As a mentor under the Sista2Sista programme, my role is to take the young girls through a series of topics that will equip them with knowledge and information that will enable them to make informed and wise decisions, which will protect them against HIV infection and other dangers. The programme also seeks to empower the young girls,” she said.
Educating youths has been identified as one of the key strategies in the fight against HIV and Aids with the National Aids Council having rolled out a number of projects, among them the Sista2Sista model.
NAC Matabeleland South provincial manager Mr Mgcini Sibanda said HIV programming and education among adolescents is crucial in the fight against HIV as they are among the most affected age group.
“The high HIV incidence rate and high STI cases among adolescent girls and young women as well as adolescent pregnancies and child marriages continue to be a concern in our district. That is why we have programmes such as the Sista2Sista model, which targets girls and young women between the ages of 15 and 24 years,” he said.
Mr Sibanda said economic challenges elevate the HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women. He said the Sista2Sista programme seeks to ensure that young girls are empowered economically.
“Preliminary findings from the 2024 Adolescent Pregnancy Research conducted in Matabeleland South have identified several interconnected social and economic factors contributing to elevated HIV risk, particularly among adolescent girls and young women.
“Female financial reliance on male partners limits negotiation power in relationships. Addressing these drivers requires multisectoral strategies that combine economic empowerment programmes, gender transformative education, community engagement on harmful practices and enhanced support services for young women at risk,” he said.
Matabeleland South has an HIV prevalence rate of 15 percent and an incidence rate of 0,2 percent. All seven districts in the province have a prevalence rate, which is significantly above the national average of 9,8 percent, indicating a substantial regional HIV burden that requires intensive co-ordinated intervention.
Bulilima District has the highest prevalence rate of 17,6 percent, which is the highest in the nation. Three districts, namely Bulilima, Mangwe and Gwanda, exhibit prevalence rates exceeding even the provincial average of 15 percent, suggesting these areas face the most acute challenges in HIV prevention and treatment services.
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