Teenage pregnancies remain a serious problem in many countries, especially in Burundi where more than 10% of adolescent girls within 15-19 years old were reported to be pregnant in a survey conducted by ISTEBU in 2018. This situation not only puts the young girls at risk of death during delivery, but also hinders young girls to continue their studies. Some of the causes of this unfortunate phenomenon is the lack of sexual education in many households in Burundi and talks. As a consequence, young girls grow up with no significant and clear information about sex, and their bodies biological development. Since education is the backbone of economic and social success, we cannot afford losing every year 10 girls out of a hundred in the academic realm because of the taboo associated with sexual education in the Burundian culture which ultimately results in teenage pregnancies. This is not a drill, the current situation is a matter of urgency. And, solutions must be sought to remedy this serious issue.
According to Gérard Nimubona, a teacher at the Bugendana communal high school supervisor of Health clubs, initiated by Iprosarude (Initiative for the Promotion of Rural Health and Development) as part of Menyumenyeshe program, health clubs in schools are one possible solution since they will fill the gap of sexual education which is not given the deserved attention in many households in Burundi. Gerard puts forth, “the problem of teenage pregnancies in schools is multidimensional. It can be a result of inappropriate sexual education as well as it can be a consequence of extreme poverty, modern trends, technology, and, essentially, the lack of communication between parents and their children”. . He highly thinks of The Menyumenyeshe program and health clubs as a solution to Zero pregnancy at the Bugendana Communal High School. “Before this program, pregnancies and abortions have become an everyday song at this high school. In one school year, we could witness more than 15 teenage pregnancies, resulting in more than 15 young girls dropping out of school because of the rules of the Ministry of Education. Thanks to the Menyumenyeshe program. During the academic year 2019-2020, we recorded zero pregnancies at our school,” explained Gerard.
Gerard also argues that young adolescents, especially girls adolescents need to be introduced to sexual education before the age of puberty. According to him, they must have as much information as possible to know and understand why specific changes, such as the development of breasts, and menstruation for girls. For him, the first step should be starting to break the taboo associated with sex related subjects in the Burundian community. “This is the major perpetrator of teenage pregnancies,” states Gerard.
Health clubs, provide adolescents reliable and enough information on sexual reproductive health and sexual education. “I can testify that this has considerably reduced teenage pregnancies at the Bugendana communal high school,” avers Gerard.
Indeed, Menyumenyeshe is a joint program run by Iprosarude in partnership with Care international.
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