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• Know your rights
• Stay in school
• Say No to sex
Sex Education for primary schools

Vol 13 No 5 May 2010

Child headed
families
S
ome children are taking
care of their brothers
and sisters because
they have no one to help
them. Most of these children
have lost one or both parents.
Their relatives may not be able to
help them.
Alice Nantume, P6, 13,
Busazi PS, Bugiri says, her
dad died when she was 10
years old. Shortly after her
father’s death Alice’s mother
fell sick and moved away from
home. My brother and I had
to take care of six children.
Our mother was admitted at
Tororo Hospital for long. One
of our aunties used to chase
us from her home. My sister,
who was 12 then was in charge
of cooking. I would wash
plates, sweep the house and
the compound.
During school days we go to
the garden before going to
school. Mummy is back home
but she is still sick. So we are
still in charge of our home.
Many children are like
Nantume. You can help these Nantume, is reading hard. She wants to become
children. Find out how to do a nurse. Last term, she was 12th out of 75 pupils
it page 3. in her class. “I don’t miss school. I wake
up very early in the morning and do
housework before going to school. I want
to be a nurse so that I can treat people.”

HIV Basic
Is it true that if you drink a lot of sod
a
like needles and razor blades. HIV
can also be got from mother to child
and have sex with an HIV infe cte d during pregnancy, when giving birth
Edotu or breast feeding. A programme
person you can not get the virus?
Am uri a called Prevention of Mother to Child
Moses, Katine Wera PS,
t Transmission can prevent this. Say
Drinking a lot of soda will not preven NO to sex and wait until you
s if you
HIV infection. You can get the viru are an adult who can make
per son who
have unprotected sex with a good choices to stay safe. Dr
ds
has HIV/AIDS or if infected body flui Paul Semugoma, International
und or if you
like blood get into a cut, wo Hospital, Kampala
nts
are cut with infected sharp instrume

Youngest King takes charge of his Kingdom

O Lesson we learn
n April 17, 2010, the
world’s youngest King,
Oyo Nyimba Kabamba
Iguru Rukidi IV, turned 18
years.
He is now in charge of his
Tooro Kingdom in western
Uganda.
His kingdom is one of the many
kingdoms in Uganda with over
2 million people. The young Oyo
became a king at age three after his
from King Oyo?
father died in 1995. “I still find it a
little uncomfortable when people Even if he is a king, he is
bow, before me especially the older hardworking. He has stayed
ones,” said King Oyo then. in school. He respects other
children and elders.
When he started school, King Oyo
said: “My friends at school do not King Oyo encourages
care that I’m a king. They like me as
a good person and I respect all of
young people to stay
them.” in school.
2.Young Talk, May 2010

Are you home alone?

I ASK FOR
f you live alone or you are
an orphan, you may be
wondering how to manage.
Do not give up. Find a solution to
your problems. HELP
Losing your parent
s
• Avoid self pity end of the world is not the
• Use the little you have carefully . You can still
live a meaningfu
l lif
• Get help from LCs and your future. Your e. Focus on
Organisations that look after future is made
now.
orphans
• Find some small jobs like Seek for help from
slashing the neighbors respected
and known peop
compound to get money le in the
community.
Avoid temptations
I lost my parents when I was that would
lead you into bad
very young. We are three in behavior.
Report cases of ab
the family. I am the eldest. use and
neglect to LC, po
I work for our neighbor as lice or
ANPPCAN. You ca
a house girl to get money to n get help
from ANPPCAN.
look after my brothers and
sisters. I thank God for our Call ANPPCAN
o
080011222 (to n:
neighbour because she allows
me to go to school. I work ll
before and after school. Family Protecti free)
o
Kyakyo Maureen, Kaboyo PS, Unit on: 08001 n
99
Kabarole 0800199499 (t 399,
oll
free) or 07146
68030

When our parents died we stayed

For teachers
with our grandparents. We got sh
500,000/= from a project and bought
this land. I built a small hut. I was 15
then.
Dear teachers treat
We plant cassava, potatoes, maize,
and beans for eating. We sometimes orphans in your
sell the crops to buy paraffin. I also school the same
buy clothing for my five brothers and
three sisters. Sometimes we sleep way you would treat
hungry. We work at construction sites. your own children. If
I get shs 4000 and 2kg of flour per an orphan is having
day. Epalait Moses, 17, P7, Osukuru
PS, Tororo trouble in class or at
home, talk to them.

Be careful:
Some people may take advantage
• They may pretend to give you help
with the intention to hurt you.
• Don’t accept gifts in exchange for
sex.
• Do not work in lodges and bars.
It may put you in danger. You can
be raped.
• Avoid working at night and in
lonely places.
• Avoid heavy work that can
hurt you.
Having good
values means
• Being honest
• Respecting others
• Respecting yourself
• Having self control
• Working hard
• Being thankful and
saying sorry
Have good manners
If you have good manners
people can easily help or can
find other people to help.
Work with the LCs
support children
who are heading
families. You can My parents were killed by bad
also direct them to people. We were young and in
the camp. Life was not easy,
organisations that we tried to grow crops but
can help them. the sun burnt everything. But
that does not stop me from
working hard. I am working
and studying hard. Angwech
Sunday 14, P7, Kilak PS ,
Pader
These children are going
through hard time. But they are
managing. They are not giving up
on life.
Yes, that is the way to go. If you
are in the same situation, do not
look back. Just continue working
hard. You will surely make it.
 Young Talk, May 2010 3

How you can support children

who do not have parents
Y
ou study or live with your parents. Your parents are
children who are kind to pay her school fees.
orphans or they may
need help, you can: I introduced my friend
who was an orphan to my
• Talk to your parents about teacher. She did not have
these children books. Her uniform was
• Give them some food, clothes, torn. The teacher went to
books and pens class and asked children to
help her. They gave books
Some Young Talkers told us how and pens. The teacher
they are helping needy children bought for her a new school
in their communities. uniform and a bag. She
became smart. Apio Nancy,
My friend is an orphan. She Lira P7 PS
takes care of her brother
and sister. One day I took Thank you, Nancy for the good
her home. My parents were spirit. Young Talkers, you can
happy to see her. I had told also do the same like Nancy, to
them about her. My father help the orphans.
is now paying her school
fees. He took the brother
and sister to be helped by
Compassion International
(an organisation that helps
orphans). My mother says
I should call her my sister.
Nabukalu V, P7, Nkonge
Umea PS, Ssembabule

Well done, Nabukalu, you did

well to introduce your friend to

Kagoya takes care of her brothers and sisters

Quiz Have you ever been

bullied, beaten by
other people or Aca Jenifer, 14, from Gulu

told bad things? How did you feel

PS lost both her parents.
She says: “Losing my parents
about it? Tell us your stories. Write has not stopped me from
working hard. I crash stones
to Young Talk, Box 22366, and sell a basin at sh1000. I

Kampala and win prizes

use the money to buy books
and pens.

Pregnancy fact
Science Corner
My friends say if I have
sex once I will not get
pregnant. Is it true?
Mbabazi Joan,
I’m How is that possible?
Kyebambe Model comes
body’s immune system be
W hat is Candida?
Pregnant You said having sex
once can not make
PS, Kabarole s active
You can get Can it be called an low, the bacteria become
one pregnant.

pregnant any , P7, causing infection.

time you have sex It is not true, Having STD? Apio Sharon, 12 u:
sex once is just Lugoba PS, Wakiso. You can get infection if yo
ion pa nti es
enough to make you Candida is a fungal infect • Wear tig ht
pregnant. You may caused by an imbalan ce • Have unprotected sex
an
even get HIV/STDS. of yeast like organisms in • Take antibiotics to cure
Do not listen to what the vagina. It is a common infection
STD
your friends tell you. problem among girls and Candida may be called an
Keep
Say NO to sex. Focus women especially before
and if you get it through sex.
we ar cle an co tto n
on your studies. Stay after menstrual periods. clean and
healthy. underwear
Tell us stories of what Boys can also get it under
the Dr Paul Semugoma,
l
you know about foreskin. Bacteria live no rm ally International Hospita
pregnancy. Write to inside the vagina witho ut Kampala
PO Box 22366, Kampala causing any problems. If the
and WIN books.

Dear
Young Talk
P.O.Box 22366 Kampala
My mother tells me that
being a friend to boys
is bad. Is it true? Akella
Peace, Arua Hill PS
It is not bad for girls and boys to
be friends. What your mother is
trying to tell you is to avoid bad
friends who can encourage you
to have sex. Tell your mother that
you are just being a friend and that
your friends are not the bad type.
My boyfriend asks for sex
all the time. What can I
do to stop him? Tuhirirwe
K, Nyamiko PS, Bushenyi
Tell him your body is not ready
for sex. If he loves you, he will
respect that. Say a big NO and stay
safe.
Is it true that if a girl
rides bicycles, she can fail
to produce? Akwi Joan,
St Paul PS, Kiboga
It is not true. Bicycle riding is a
good exercise. It has nothing to do
with pregnancy or complications
during child birth. If you are a
cyclist, be proud of yourself.
I have missed my periods
for two months now.
My friend told me that
I could be pregnant and
yet I have never had sex in
my life. What is my problem?
ADVICE TO Kabanda
In February 2010, Young Talk
asked pupils to advise Kabanda
Mercy from Nawanyago
Busano PS, Kamuli. She says:
If I stay with a step mother,
step father or guardian who
does not like me at home and
I experience my menstruation
periods, is it good to tell her or
him?
We received over 20 letters
and this is what some of you
said:
Do not tell your step mother
if she does not like you. Tell
your senior woman teacher
You win T.shirts, books and pads for the girls.
My grandmother told
me that I am stupid. She
says I should stop school.
What can I do? Wamono
M, Butiru Christian PS,
and WIN Mbale
4 Young Talk, May 2010
Bamwine P, Mother Care PS,
Hoima
Bamwine, this is normal. Your
body is still growing and changing.
Sometimes what is happening to
you could be caused by certain
foods or worries. Stop worrying.
Your body will become stable as
you grow and you will have normal
menstruation periods.
Why do people say that
abortion is bad? Jane K,
Nakibembe PS, Iganga
Abortion is illegal in Uganda.
You can be sent to prison. It is very
dangerous. You can get infections,
over bleed and even die. Girls who
abort take long to recover from the
Pupils of Ruhinda Progress PS, Rukungiri: “We are bad feeling they get after doing it.
happy to be in school” Only doctors can carry out abortion
if the life of a mother is in danger.
Delay sex to avoid early and
unwanted pregnancy and abortion.
What happens when
someone uses an expired
condom? JP, 13, St
Michael - Mukole PS,
Kasese
JP, it is very dangerous to use
expired goods. This includes
condoms or anything that is
consumed. An expired condom
can easily burst or get torn during
sex. Then it is no longer protecting
you. You can get infections and
unwanted pregnancy. But JP, you
are too young to have sex. Stay
safe and work hard at school for a
better future.
Stella Magomu, Centre for
Pupils of Border Academic PS, Busia say reading Transforming Generations.
Young Talk has helped them stay in school.
Know your body
at school. She will help you.
Namaganda Mercy, Kasana
Junior PS, Masaka. I am only 14 private parts. The
years and I hair in your private
Tell them when you have some little part is called pubic
experience menstruation. hair under my hair.
If they refuse, you can armpits. Am I
tell someone you trust to Having hair under
help you. Muryangan Isaac, normal? Amanya
Madibira PS, Busia Grace, St Joseph your armpit shows
Sanje PS, Rakai that you are
It is good to tell your step growing normally.
mother or guardian. They may Yes, you are normal. The hair also helps
hate you but they can not fail When you reach to keep dirt away
to help. If they refuse, talk puberty, you see from the skin.
to an elderly lady you trust to many changes and Stella Magomu,
help you. Adiru Gladys, Muni one of them is hair
PS, Arua Centre for
growing under your Transforming
armpits and other Generations.
Publisher: Straight Talk Foundation 4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, PO Box 22366, Kampala, Tel: 031-262030/1,
E-mail: info@straight-talk.or.ug, President: C. Watson Executive Director: J. Wiltshire Print Director: T. Agutu, Editorial
Manager: M. Akello, Editors: P. Kiwuuwa, F Ouma, J. Abongowath, J. Nafula,
G. Awekofua, Chief Designer: M. Kalanzi, Designers: GB. Mukasa, Allan B.
Dentine Funded by Civil Society Fund: SIDA, USAID.