The national youth organisation, Maikano Youth Wellness, is on a drive to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted infections through safe male circumcision edutainment games.
The edutainment activity, which will run under the theme “five ÔÇô aside male circumcision games”, will engage private sectors, government sectors and social clubs, advocating for zero infection by 2016. The event will take place on the 28th July 2012.
This campaign is meant to educate audiences and participants about safe male circumcision and what men need to know and do after circumcision. “We have the target of mobilising 2500 males to be circumcise after this activity,” said Nkosi Bentu, the chairman of Maikano.
Bentu said they have chosen football because men in Botswana like this sport and it has a great following.
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis. Several studies have found significant association between male circumcision and HIV infection. Recent studies have demonstrated that male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV acquisition among medically circumcised men by approximately 60 percent.
Mindset change is needed because people now think being circumcised is a license to having unprotected sex.
“Male circumcision is not the cure to HIV and circumcised men can still become infected and can infect their sexual partners, and circumcision may lessen the risk of HIV infection, but does not does not give complete protection,” he said.
The subscription fee is P2 500 to participate in the “five ÔÇô aside male circumcision games” including refreshments and free space to set up a stall to disseminate information about their products.
Bentu said the team set up includes two ladies, four gentlemen in the pitch and three substitutes.
“We intend to channel the fundraised money towards the advocacy program of “say no to baby dumping,” he said, adding that baby dumping cases continue to worsen.
“We have decided to hold baby dumping workshop to call upon government sectors, private sectors, chiefs, mayors, ambassadors and church leaders to seek for alternative innovative ways to curb the surge of baby dumping and to provide long term holistic ideas needed to address this problem,” he said.
The objectives of the workshop are to conscientise legal practitioners on baby dumping, infanticide and concealing birth and to familiarize legal practitioners on the mental health aspects of reproductive health and to initiate debate of safe haven legislation.
Maikano Youth Wellness Organisation is an organisation made up of young people whose calling is to serve the community by intervening in the life of young people on health and wellness issues. Maikano Youth Wellness Organisation has committed itself to an unapologetic and emphatic involvement in: Youth affairs and wellness in a well-rounded manner; Eradicating Baby Dumping; Prevent Avoidable blindness; Child welfare matters and Promoting Positive Behavioural Change.
