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Know your rights Stay in school Say No to sex Sex Education for primary schools

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Nakku, Zam,

Vol 14 No 3 Mar/April 2011

oung Talk travelled to West Nile, where Albert Nile is found. On the way we saw elephants, giraffes and baboons. People here are farmers and fishermen. They love angara, a very delicious fish. We visited 11 schools in Arua, Nebbi and Zombo districts. We talked to pupils about being the best. Odongo is a 15 year old boy in P6 at Oturgang PS, Zombo. He was born alone. Odongos parents died so he lives with his uncle in Paidha town. He says: Every morning I go to the garden before going to school. I study hard. I am always second in my class. My teachers are proud of me. At home, I do some work then read my books after supper. I want to get a first grade at Primary

Choose to be the

14, Kawempe Decorous PS, Kampala says: Refuse gifts and lifts from strangers

BEST

books. Sometimes, I write on papers which my friends get from their books. Some boys say I should get married. I dont take their bad advice. I want to complete my studies and become a nurse. Many girls in my village are suffering. They left school and got married. They suffer looking for food. Their husbands do not buy anything for them. They play cards at trading centres.

Fortunate you are moving in the right direction. Studies help us to be the best. Early marriages are wrong and against the law. You win books from Young Talk
uni PS, Pupils of M ork hard Arua say: w ks. at your boo
Leaving Exams (PLE). Over the weekend I carry luggage for people in town and get paid. Maditrwoth Fortunate, 15, P6, Mvugu Upper PS, Zombo is also doing her best. She says: My parents cannot provide me fees, uniform and Adroni D, Muni PS, Arua says: My parents provide me with all I need. I am using this chance to study hard and get my own money.

You all have to do the best at everything you do whether you come from a rich or poor family.

Doing the best helps you to succeed

Learn to be the best:
Use your brain and think carefully Listen to your teachers or parents Read newspapers and books to learn new things Talk to people, do not fear to learn from them Learn to do things by looking at how they are done. For example, you can learn to play a game by looking at people play If you do not understand something or have a problem, ask for help Respect yourself and other people Avoid bad peer groups If you try something and fail, dont give up. Keep trying Get good advice from elders, teachers and your parents

HIV BASIC
You cannot get HIV by being close I share a desk with someone who is HIV positive. My friends are scaring me that I will catch the disease. Is it true? Girl, Mukole PS, Kasese Hullo Girl from Mukole PS, it is not true. You cant get HIV by touching, being near a person with HIV, sharing plates, cups, or clothes. You can get HIV by having sex and sharing sharp objects like needles and razor blades with an infected person. A mother with HIV can transmit the virus to her child during pregnancy, birth and breast feeding. Dr Ojom James, Soroti Regional Hospital

Be creative, believe in yourself, you can make it

2 .Young Talk, March 2011

Yes,you can be the best

Anyone can be the best at whatever they do. Work hard and excel. Be a star. Young Talkers share their stories.
Piduich Japhat, 11 , P6, Paidha Mod PS, Zombo, says el : Some of my frie nds do not have pare nts. They live alon e but they are in school . Ev sell bananas and be ery Tuesday they ans in Zeu weekl y market. They use the money to buy books, pens and un iform. The whole village was happy when one of the best girls came from th at family.
Rwiririza Jascent, 15, P6, Ariun PS, Arua, says: Every evening, I help my mother to sell milk. A cup costs Shs 500. After that I go home to read my books. My performance is good. I want to become a professional model.
, Muni Adakuru Agnes, 15, P6 t my dad. PS, Arua, says: I los e is a I live with my mother. Sh ans and maize. farmer. We grow be y. We We sell some to get mone y my ney to pa use part of the mo term. We fees. I pay Shs 4,500 per the only one are six children. Im rried. in school. The rest are ma eir to be th Some boys want me have to lover. I always refuse. I focus on my studies. I want to be a nurse.

Ocirchan Gilbert, 15, P6, Omach PS, Pakwach, Nebbi, says: I have only a mother. I pay my own fees which is shs 2,000 per term. During holidays I go fishing. I sell the fish to raise school fees. I support my young brother. I want to become a priest and help poor children who want to study but have no money. My teachers encourage me to work hard and never to give up. I miss school some days to go fishing.

Gilbert, it is good you are working hard. Do not miss lessons. Fish over the weekend. When you make money keep it well. Pay school fees and stay in school.
Otim Pius, 13, P6, Omach PS, Nebbi, says: I live with my grandmother. My parents died. Im glad my grandmother is able to pay my examination fees, buy uniform, books and food. Every term, I pay Shs 1,000 for examination. During weekends, I help my grandmother to sell things in her shop. I revise my books at night. Im working hard to become a lawyer in future. I want to make my grandmother and myself happy.

Agnes, focus on your studies. Keep saying No to those boys. Say No to sex.

its Make home visrs orphans. Othe are

Some children come from very poor families. They sell paraffin, fish, sodas, mineral water and G.nuts to get money. Some sell the whole night.

FOR TEACHERS

ary is 10, she lives in a fishing village near Masese landing site in Jinja. She lost both her parents. She shares a tiny mud house with her four brothers and sisters. Mary washes plates in a hotel. She uses the money to buy food and pay their school fees. Mary says, Some men ask for sex in exchange for fish. I want to study hard and chess away poverty in our home. Do not loose hope. Do not have sex to get what you do not have. Find something to do like working for people. Get help from people. who may help. Keep the money and use it well.

oys PS, , P7, Ediofe B ph Konda, 15 during holidays. I sell Haza Jose make bricks customers Arua says: I . Most of my I use the ck at Shs 100 each bri n Sudan. want ba in Souther come from Ju oks and pay school fees. I bo money to buy ty. up to universi to study

Know your body

During puberty boys start getti become lower bodies. One of them is the voice change. It will voice then and deeper. You may be talking in your lower Your voice is suddenly your voice gets high. This is normal. make your voice breaking. This happens because hormones box grow bigger. It usually starts from the age of 13-14 years. But the changes can happen earlier or later. Boys do not worry about your voice changing. Girls do not tease boys about their voice changes. Voice change is not a sign for boys to have sex.

ang s Boys- voice chchanges etheir in ng many

We visit their homes to assess the situation. We encourage them to stay in school and work during weekend and holidays. We encourage them to pay fees during holidays when they get the money. Okwanga Fabiano, head teacher, Omach PS, Nebbi.

3 Young Talk, March/April 2011.

WORD PUZZLE No. 2, 2011

You want to be the best you can be. Work at everything you do. In this game you will move on the board from down to up. Dont allow the snake to bite you. When you reach WIN at point 100, you are a winner. What you need:

How to play: This game can be played by 2-6 people. Throw the dice in turn. The first person to get a six facing up, will start the game. Start at point 1. Everyone must first roll a six on the dice. The number of steps moved by the markers is determined by the dots get rolling the dice.

or her marker slides down to the square at the snakes tail.

Snake: If a player lands at the tip of the snakes head, his

Pupils of Kisoso PS, Masaka say: be assertive and responsible

Play with your friends. Tell us what you have learnt and win Young Talk exercise books.

If a player gets a square that is at the base of a ladder, his or her marker moves to the square at the top of the ladder and continues from there. Complete the game. Be a winner by playing this game.

Ladder:

Write to: YOUNG TALK PO Box, 22366, Kampala.

BY PATO DENIS

Young Talk, March/April 2011

Dear Young Talk

P.O.Box 22366 Kampala

Whenever I see a girl in our class, my penis erects and I dont understand anything in class. What can I do? Ahebwe Brian, Kampala Model Brian, erection is normal and natural. It happens to boys during puberty. It has nothing to do with looking at girls. Whether you look at girls or not it will still happen. Having an erection means you are normal and healthy. All of us go through puberty in life. Do not get worried. Consider those girls your sisters. It will help you overcome the problem. Be more active in class. Participating in answering and asking questions helps you to be more attentive in class. Join clubs like debating club, games and sports club to keep you busy. My friends have boyfriends. They are telling me to have one. I want to first study. What can I do ? Aciro Grace, Ocayo PS, Nebbi. It is normal not to have a boyfriend. You do not need to do what your friends are doing. You have the right to decide what is good for you. Your friends should respect you and your values. Continue with your studies. Why is it that two black people produce an Albino Child? Chenga Martin, Bubawaya PS, Manafwa Dear Martin, albinism is a condition affecting genes. A gene

standing. When a woman and a man have unprotected sex, and the sperm gets to the egg, fertilization takes place therefore pregnancy occurs. The position does not matter, what matters is the sperm getting into the egg. Delay to have sex until you finish school, get the right partner and when youre ready. Is it true that if you have a red mouth you have HIV? Madu Peter, St Jude PS, Tororo No, Peter. The only sure way to tell if someone has HIV or not is through testing. It is not good to point fingers and think someone has HIV. Why is it that I get a lot of pain during menstruation. Is it normal? Nisiima B, Rukungiri Modern PS. Sometimes you may experience painful periods because of the contraction and expansion of the muscles of the womb to get out blood. However, this is normal. You can use a warm piece of cloth to press your stomach. You can also do sports to be active. Take hot tea. They help reduce pain. When the pain becomes too much get help from a health worker. I feel a lot of pain in my penis. What can I do? Bambu John, Bunyangule PS, Bundibugyo Sorry about that. Visit a hospital or a health center and explain to a doctor what is happening to you. You will be helped.

Pupils of Kiboota PS, Kabarole, say: We have learnt to respect our teachers through reading Young Talk papers.

Pupils of St. Matia Mulumba PS, Mityana say: We are staying safe by not having sex
is what we get from our parents during our formation. It can happen in any race or tribe. An albino lacks a substance (hormone) that gives normal skin, hair and eye color. Therefore their skin, hair and eyes are white. Each child has two genes. One gene from the mother and another from the father. If two black parents, each has one albino gene and the other normal(carriers) get married and produce a child who gets the two albino genes from them, the child will be an albino though parents are black. Other children may be normal or carriers and these will have black skin like their parents. Can a woman get pregnant if she has sex with a man while standing? Gendas Morgan, 14, P7, Iganga PS Yes, a woman can get pregnant if she has unprotected sex while

Counsellors: Dr. Ojom James, Soroti Regional Hospital

Advice to Marian
to In Nov - Dec 2010, we asked Young Talkers Buikwe advise Marian Baksh, Lugazi Umea PS, the who says: There are boys who disturb me on What way to the shops. I fear telling my parents. should I do? We received over 50 letters from you advising Mariam. Most of you sent in very good advice. do not, they will continue disturbing you.

Akajo Anne, 13, Madera Girls PS, Soroti, says: Tell your parents about those boys. If you Kamusiime Ronald, Entebbe Early Learning School, Wakiso says: Tell those boys Report
. you are not interested in them. If they do not listen i PS, to your teacher. Yuwasi Beatrice, Kyanjuk ing you Kasese says: Tell your parents to stop send y, to the shops alone. Go with a friend.Nekesan Kell LC. Those Dadiri PS, Busia says; Report to the boys may rape you.

My fathers friend is asking me for sex. When my parents send me to his home, he forces me into sex. What can I do? AS, Birimbi Model PS, Bushenyi
Publisher: Straight

QUIZ
to Young Talk, PO Box, 22366, Kampala and
Tell us stories of what makes your parents happy and what makes them unhappy. Write

win Young Talk exercise books

Thank you, you all win exercise books and Young Talk.

Talk Foundation 4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, PO Box 22366, Kampala, Tel: 031262030/1, E-mail: info@straight-talk.or.ug, President: C Watson Executive Director: S Ajok Print Director: T Agutu, Editorial Manager: M Akello, Editors: J Abongowath, P Kiwuuwa, F Ouma, J Nafula, Chief Designer: M Kalanzi, Designers: GB Mukasa, Allan B Dentine ,G. Turibamwe Funded by Civil Society Fund