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Lumbidzani Dima, Chronicle Reporter
THE Sista-to-Sista programme has been making strides in reducing risky sexual behaviour among young women in Dete, Matabeleland North.

Behavioral skills practice, group discussions, lectures, practicals, role-playing, preventive video viewing, and take-home assignments are all included in the gender specific and culturally relevant sessions that are being spearheaded by the National Aids Council (NAC) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care in conjunction with the United Nations Population Fund.

Ms Abigail Moyo, a Sista-to-Sista mentor in Dete said their sessions are proving to be impactful as girls are attending in numbers and practically implementing what they learn, resulting in reduced teenage pregnancies and risky sexual behaviours that can fuel HIV.

“We started this programme in 2018. The most important thing that we teach girls is to learn to use their hands wisely. They should be well equipped with discovering talents that are not academically linked.

They need to be empowered so that they don’t get involved in men businesses all in the name of trying to earn a living. Once they are always busy, they don’t get the time to go around chasing after boys and men,” she said.

“Since the inception of the programme, we’ve seen a positive change in the community. Even the number of teenage pregnancies seems to be reducing.”

Ms Moyo said their sessions are both theoretical whereby they advise each other on life challenges in a sisterly manner and practical whereby girls are taught methods of making detergents as well as sewing pads.

She said NAC has been able to advise the young women to know their HIV statuses, and ways of preventing HIV/Aids.
Ms Thubelihle Ndlovu (25) who joined the Sista-to-Sista club last year is now earning a living after attending the sessions.

“I joined Sista-to-Sista last year, and it was really helpful to be honest, because I can now earn a living. We were taught many things, and we were divided into groups for projects.

Our group chose to go ahead with pine gel and dishwasher formulations whereby we would equally contribute to buying the necessary ingredients, and sell the products. We sold the products as a group until we were able to do it individually,” she said.

“Personally, my selling business of these products was and still is going fairly well. I have started stocking clothes from South Africa and selling them. I’m selling mince and sausages as well at home. Things are now different at home as I can now earn, we no longer depend on my husband alone.”

Ms Ndlovu said she has realised that there is a second chance in life. She said even if one is not educated, they can just use their hands to venture into some sort of business that can give a fair profit enough for them and their family.

Ms Beverly Mlauzi (23) who was in the same project group said she invested in her hairdressing business she discovered she is good at after joining Sista-to-Sista.

Ms Mlauzi said having a baby at a young age made her give up on life, but Sista to Sista uplifted her spirit as she has found herself again.

“After selling the pine gel, I boosted my hairdressing where my talent lies and ventured into selling hair products, earrings, necklaces and other sorts of jewellery,” she said.

“As a young mother, I was just idle at home doing nothing. So, I just joined this programme to push time not knowing that it’s actually my breakthrough.

There is a lesson that keeps on pushing me, ‘I’m good but I can get better’, it changed my life a lot because after having a child, I thought my life was at stake, I did not see anything beyond having a child at an early age, I thought it was the end of the road.

I had stopped thinking about the future and lived in the present. I was just staying at home and babysitting. But, after that lesson, I started seeing positive things about the future.”

A 16-year-old who is part of those specialising in sewing reusable pads said the programme is a blessing in disguise as it has rescued many girls who could not afford disposable pads.

“At first, I did not want to join this Sista-to-Sista thing as I thought I would just be wasting my time. I was thinking that other girls just attend to get biscuits and juice.

In my mind I was telling myself that they just don’t want us to date or be approached by boys while they passed through the phase and enjoyed.

“My friend would force me to attend until I warmed up and realised that it’s actually a good programme that will mould me into a better woman in future,” she said.

“I was taught to sew reusable pads which are seemingly advantageous in our community because there are times when girls cannot afford to buy those disposable pads.”

Hwange District Aids Coordinator, Mr Nehemiah Ndlovu commended the positive impact of the Sista-to-Sista programme in Dete.