Tuesday, 01 Jun 10 - 20:30Leeds students join Walk of Hope

Chapter 2 of Walk of Hope 2010 by Laura Henderson

A big thank you and congratulations to the Leeds Metropolitan University Event Management students who put together an event to raise money for Act4Africa's Walk of Hope early in the year, not the brightest of days in the 2010 calendar so far, but everyone remained upbeat and on a high as they took on the challenge of 5.8miles around the very fabulous and stately Harewood House grounds.

You can see the ISpiTV video clip below, and thanks to Kayleigh Dowson for her involvement in organising this.

For more information on how to join the Walk of Hope download our fundaising pack >>Here<<

Read more chapters from 'Walk of Hope 2010'

Friday, 26 Mar 10 - 12:00The Walk of Hope has started!

Chapter 1 of Walk of Hope 2010 by Rob Davies

The first 120 miles of the 4,162 mile Walk of Hope have been walked! 21 Leeds University students, their friends and other supporters battled against the rain on March 20th to kick-start our biggest ever fundraising event. And they put the icing on the cake with a fabulous comedy night with African drummers in a cocktail bar in Leeds to thank the walkers the week after the event.

Click here to watch a video clip of the walk

The Walk of Hope is all about hundreds of us joining together over the beautiful British spring and summer to collectively walk a mammoth 4162 miles (the distance from our UK office to the first office that Act4Africa set up in Uganda) and raising sponsorship. It's not about actually walking the route to Uganda, just completing the mileage!

We're aiming to recruit 500 walkers to raise £100 each during the Walk of Hope from April to November 2010 - that's a total target of £50,000!

This money will help us:

• Set up new Life Clubs in Africa, giving orphans and vulnerable young people the chance to learn essential life skills and equip them for the jobs market

• Train hundreds of African church and community leaders in how to teach our essential AIDS Prevention Education Programmes, destroying the myths about AIDS and equipping them to lead their own communities towards a healthier future

• Enable the poorest of the poor and those who have been devastated by AIDS to access HIV testing, counselling and practical support, giving hope to those who have none.

If you would like to register your interest, click here to send us an email. Or phone the UK office (number at the bottom of this web-page)

Read more chapters from 'Walk of Hope 2010'

Tuesday, 14 Jul 09 - 07:00Kenya concern over pill popping

By Anne Mawathe, BBC News, Nairobi

In a radio advertisement at the centre of a controversy in Kenya, a distraught teenage girl asks for help after having unprotected sex.

"What shall I do? I'm still in college. What happens to my future, my friends, my family, my life?" she sobs.

The assistance offered is the emergency contraceptive pill - or morning-after pill.

The so-called "e-pill", which is also being advertised in popular magazines with a free bookmark, is now the buzz-word in town among young sexually active women.

"I do use e-pills," Florence, a university student in Nairobi, told the BBC.

"The main reason is because sometimes I have not considered having sex with my boy and then we just find ourselves [having it], so that calls for the use of e-pills."

Gillian, also a university student, says she uses them as one of her main forms of contraception.

"Sex is very sweet. You cannot go having sex with a condom - so why go for the condom when I know the e-pills are there? I know I won't get pregnant," she said.

'Reckless'

It is this attitude which is worrying various organisations.

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" My concern actually is about the HIV / Aids... it is something that will ruin their lives forever "
Health ministry's Josephine Kibaru
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They believe the advertising campaign is influencing young people to be sexually reckless.
Many young people are now using the e-pill routinely, some even buying the pills in advance.
Josephine Kibaru, head of family health in the ministry of health, is a strong advocate of contraception.

But she has some reservations about the intense media campaign promoting the emergency pill.

"The impression I get is that university girls are using these pills irresponsibly... If they are needing them it means they have had unprotected sex," she said.

"My concern actually is about the HIV / Aids... it is something that will ruin their lives forever."

"I would rather those adverts showed more mature women. And I would want to see the message go beyond the emergency."

The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya has also voiced concerned about long-term use of the e-pill.

Besides side-effects, like nausea, heavy bleeding and cramps, regular use of the emergency contraception may cause infertility and in some instances increase the risk of cancer.

"The youth are getting the message that it's OK to go out and have fun because you won't get pregnant," says Dominic Karanja, chair of the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya.

"They have changed the attitude of the youth even shifted them from thinking about STDs [sexually transmitted diseases] - about HIV/Aids - to thinking about getting pregnant."

There is a notable increase in the sale of the pills during school holidays and weekends, Dr Karanja says.

According to Kenya's Pharmacy and Poisons board it is against Kenyan law to advertise such drugs to the public.
However, the US non-governmental organisation funding the campaign - Populations Services International - says it has the government's approval to run the adverts.
In fact the advertisements that have been appearing in local newspapers have been endorsed by the government.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya has also asked the PSI to stop the adverts.

Choice

But PSI country director Daun Fest says it is not promoting specific products but creating awareness in Kenya, where it is illegal to have an abortion.

"No research has ever proved that any reproductive health product has increased promiscuity"
PSI's Daun Fest

She argues that the use of the emergency pill decreases the high incidences of unsafe and botched abortions.

"The reality is that we're presenting choices," says Ms Fest.

"Research shows young people start their sexual lives at about the age of 17 - and they're starting without correct information, without knowing what the options are."

She disagrees with critics who argue that the e-pill increases the risk of contracting HIV by encouraging unprotected sex.

"No research has ever proved that any reproductive health product has increased promiscuity.
"In fact much of the research shows that the younger you start education, the more likely you're likely you're going to have lower teenage pregnancy."

Health experts in Kenya believe that the government is not able to stop such campaigns because they depend on organisations like PSI to fund some of its health programmes.

Like abortion and other reproductive health issues in Kenya, the debate over the use of e-pills will continue to be divisive and controversial.

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Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/8145418.stm

Published: 2009/07/14 06:51:28 GMT

© BBC MMIX