Soul City Institute Champions Youth Health and Dignity this Reproductive Health Month

This month, SCI is taking action in communities across the country to address the most pressing challenges facing our youth.

On 13 February, we joined forces with the City of Ekurhuleni and the healthcare heroes at Tsakane Main Clinic for a dynamic Community Open Day. From 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, the clinic opened its doors to the community, offering residents the chance to tour the facility, meet their healthcare providers, and access essential health services. Soul City social mobilisers were on the ground engaging with young people,, providing safe sex education, demonstrating correct condom use, and encouraging regular HIV and TB testing in a stigma-free, family-friendly environment. The day was a powerful reminder that when clinics open their hearts to the community, the community responds.

In Khayelitsha, Western Cape, we were on the ground conducting a youth health awareness campaign in Ward 97. In line with STI and Condom Week, our social mobilisers are providing essential services including HIV testing, TB screening, and safe sex education. We met young people where they are, creating safe spaces to discuss consent and reduce the stigma surrounding STIs. Our message is clear: knowing your status and taking control of your sexual health is a fundamental act of self-care.

Simultaneously, from 17–19 February, we are facilitating a series of critical intergenerational dialogues in a rural community of Collins Chabane. These three- day sessions bring together youth, parents, traditional leaders, and religious leaders to address the root causes of teenage pregnancy and strengthen the understanding of consent. By moving beyond blame and towards community-led solutions, we aim to dismantle the harmful norms that endanger young people. We believe that protecting our children requires collective responsibility from the household to the hallways of power.

“Soul City Institute engages young people during Reproductive Health Month to ensure reproductive health initiatives are youth-centred, accessible, and relevant. By addressing barriers, promoting informed decisions, challenging norms, and strengthening youth leadership, the aim is to increase knowledge, uptake of services, reduce stigma, and empower young people to drive community change., said Siyanda Magayana ,” SCI , advocacy officer

The Soul City Institute calls on all sectors of society to join us in advocating for youth-friendly health services, comprehensive sexuality education, and an end to gender-based violence. We urge the media to help amplify these conversations and support our mission to create a just society where everyone's rights are recognised and enforced. For more information about our programmes or to support our work, please visit www.soulcity.org.za.

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Media Contact:
Communications and Advocacy Department
Soul City Institute for Social Justice
Email: disruptingpatriarchy@soulcity.org.za
Phone: 0746045799