Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu and USAID launch a social and behavioral change programme for children aged 10 – 14
The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ms Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, will, in partnership USAID’s Pepfar-funded Government Capacity Building and Support (GCBS) Programme, be launching ChommY - a social and behavioural change programme for children between the ages of 10 and 14 on 7 March 2020.
GCBS is funded by USAID under the Pepfar Programme with a focus to enhance service to vulnerable children and to reduce incidents of HIV and AIDS amongst children and adolescents.
Observed under the slogan: “Invest in my Future…Protect me Today”, ChommY aims to generate knowledge, develop skills and empower young people to make more informed choices to reduce HIV infections, substance abuse and to prevent teenage pregnancies.
ChommY is being launched against the backdrop of the Department’s YOLO Programme which was launched in 2015 to educate young people between the ages of 15 and 24 about HIV/Aids, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and being agents of social change.
YOLO was established as part of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy on HIV and Aids. According to a 2018 HIV Prevalence Report by Statistics South Africa, HIV prevalence among the youth aged 15 – 24 declined over time from 6.7% in 2002 to 5.5% in 2018. Despite this decline, HIV infections amongst the youth remain relatively high to date. This is hugely attributed to the behavioural, social and structural drivers of HIV, which contribute to youth being vulnerable to HIV and AIDS.
Upon assessment of the YOLO programme, one of the findings was the distinct omission of children aged between 10 and 14, while reports showed that some of them were already involved in risky sexual and social behaviour.
ChommY, which is colloquial term for “friend” aims to build positive friendships among 10 – 14 year olds and to encourage the young boys and girls to motivate one another to minimise being involved in risky behaviours.
The programme gives children the opportunity to develop a personal plan for their lives and emphasises the importance of support from parents and communities to enable young people to make informed decisions. The programme forms part of the Compendium of SBC programmes offered by the Department of Social Development.
Children from all nine provinces will form part of the launch to participate in indigenous games, share their social experiences and solutions and to interact with the programme’s mascot Bokamoso.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event scheduled as follows:
Date: 07 March 2020
Time: 09:00
Venue: Birchwood Hotel, Gauteng Province
Media can RSVP by contacting:
Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane
Cell: 066 480 6845
E-mail: NomfundoLe@dsd.gov.za
Makhosazana Mavuso
Cell: 081 514 8374
E-mail: MakhosazanaMa@dsd.gov.za
