Gombe: NGO partners traditional, religious leaders on adolescents’ education

In an effort to implement Reaching and Empowering Adolescents to make informed Choices for their Health (REACH) in Gombe state, Save the Children International has engaged 33 traditional and religious leaders across the state.

The Field Manager Save the Children International Gombe state office, Altine Lewin disclosed this at a meeting with leaders of the two bodies, held at Flourish Hotel in Gombe on Wednesday.

Lewi said they of involved the traditional and religious leaders because they have a powerful voice and they are closer to the people in the society.

She explained that, the REACH and TECM program was sponsored by SCI with the aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health of adolescents in three states of Katsina, Zamfara and Gombe.

She added that the project is also training health workers, as well as property private medical vendors in the focal local government areas in the states.

“Among the objectives including making the health facilities to become adolescents friendly by providing sports items. While the REACH project will focus on Improving access to high quality, gender-sensitive and adolescent-friendly SRH services for adolescent girls and boys” Lewi said.

Other areas are: increasing the decision-making of married and unmarried girls about their own SRHR; improving the integration of civil society contributions and evidence based practices in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and rights (ASRHR) policy design and implementation at local and state levels.

Also speaking, Permanent Secretary Ministry for Local government, Alhaji Mohammed Manu Malala applauded the organisers of the meeting, noting that religious and traditional leaders have roles to play in achieving the set goals, because of their closeness to the people.  

He called on all stakeholders to guide and protect adolescents in the right way in order to be good leaders of tomorrow, describing the involvement of the two powerful bodies in a vital issue that concerns youth as a wise decision taken at the right time.

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