For the 2023 National Condom Week, which is commemorated between February 14 and 21, the ‘United for a Purpose Brigade’, in partnership with the Youth Health Centre held a session for students of the Seychelles Institute of Technology (SIT) late last week, to promote the correct and consistent use of condoms.
The aim of the activity was to sensitise the students on the topics of contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and prevention of unwanted pregnancies.
According to statistics, from the 2021 epidemiological data for HIV, the main mode of transmission remains heterosexual intercourse. This suggests that unsafe sex remains a common practice for many, and educating the youths on protected sex is highly important.
According to a representative from the ‘United for a Purpose Brigade’, Rachel Joseph, the organisation had partnered with the Youth Centre in the Ministry of Health to hold these talks annually.
“We do not necessarily focus on the diseases but rather educate the young people on the ways to prevent contracting these diseases or unplanned pregnancies,” she said.
For her part, nurse manager, Chantal Melamine, said that with the rise in certain STDs, it was a must to approach the young generation as they are the future and by sensitising them, it might break the trail of transmission as they would be more cautious and knowledgeable.
“We have noticed that there is a need for this kind of activity, and we are also working with other partners that support the youths to complement each other,” she said.
One of the SIT students, Keith Soopramanien, said he found the talk to be very educational and informative as he was presented with statistics of the different diseases, which alarmed him but also made him more attentive to the topic at hand.
“There were things that were talked about in there that I really was not aware of, there are many young people that are being affected and as a young person myself I was unaware,” he said.
He also suggested that such activities should be done more frequently and should reach other youths as well.
Some of the issues raised at last week’s talk were the importance of using condoms correctly and consistently to maintain a healthy and happy sexual lifestyle, and the need for effective communication between partners.
The accompanying photos show highlights of the session on safe sex and proper condom use.
Source: Seychelles Nation