Adolescent-friendly Information Centre becoming effective in Rukum

BY Jayaman Budha Magar, Rukum East, Sept. 27: The Adolescent-friendly Information Centre (AFIC) being run in schools with the objective of imparting knowledge on reproductive health to adolescents is becoming effective in Rukum West. 

The information centre operating in 17 secondary schools of Bhumey and Sisne Rural Municipalities of the district has become effective, according to teachers and local level representatives. 

Siddhartha Social Development Centre (SDC) has been operating the centres with the financial and technical support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 

The local governments have also shown interest to continue the programme carried out by the SDC in schools because of its importance. 

Megh Bahadur Shrestha, chief of the District Coordination Committee, said, "It is important to be concerned about the health of children and to nurture future youth leaders with practical knowledge."

The SDC-run centers have supported the local government as a dynamic bridge in working and investing in the field of children and adolescent, said Shrestha. 

Kesharman Khadka, a secondary level teacher of Bhume-6, said that the information centre will help reduce the health problems of teenagers.

"The information centre which has been established and operated in the school with the aim of increasing the reach of services to the adolescents has helped reduce the problems relating to sexual and reproductive health of adolescents. The centre  has become helpful in reducing child marriage, which has been a big problem in the district and improving their knowledge on reproductive health," said Khadka.

Adolescents have said that with the establishment of the information centre in their own school, they have been able to understand the condition of adolescents and reproductive health  more confidently.   

Bhuwan Sejuwal, district coordinator of UNFPA, said that the information centre operated in 17 secondary schools of the district was established with an investment ranging from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 400,000.  

The tasks of centre include providing teaching learning materials on comprehensive sexual education and distributing educational materials for the disabled, furniture and menstrual hygiene materials, among others. 

Sejuwal informed that five of the 17 high schools have been expanded as model youth-friendly information centres. The school representatives have stated that continuing the information centre in all secondary schools has become necessary.