Parents need to open up to their children about sexual matters to prepare them for the explicit content that they are bombarded with on social media platforms and TV.
This will in turn prepare them for dealing with sexual pressure and help them not to fall into the trap of getting pregnant at an early age.
Children must also arm themselves with education to enable them to make the right choices.
This was a clarion call made to parents and pupils by the Aids Healthcare Foundation director for community partnerships, Joey Terrill, a renowned American-born HIV/Aids activist who has been living with HIV for 38 years.
Terrill was addressing an awareness campaign at Mdeni Senior Secondary School in Skhobeni village in Dutywa yesterday.
Pupils from the neighbouring Phumlani Junior Secondary and Douglas Junior Secondary Schools also attended the event.
Dubbed Youth Friendly Service Awareness Campaign, yesterday’s event was organised in a joint effort by the departments of health, education and social development together with the South African Police Service.
Larissa Klazinga, an advocacy manager for the foundation based in the Eastern Cape, said the event was designed to bring information closer to the children.
While it was primarily aimed at empowering young girls, it also focused on drug abuse among children.
The foundation works in 39 countries worldwide including South Africa and has a working relationship with the Eastern Cape department of health through which it assists about 55 clinics.
The 63-year-old Terrill told pupils that anyone could be inffected by HIV, but if you were smart enough, you could prevent that happening by making informed choices in life.
“I am surprised that I have lived this long. Pursue your education so that you can also live fulfilling lives,” he said.
Mdeni High School principal Siphiwo Maqume said: “The nearest clinic is about 15km away but on the way there, they meet a lot of challenges like being raped and chased by thugs.”
Klazinga said: “You [parents] need to prepare them for the onslaught from the dodgy content from social media and television. We are not promoting sex, but we are saying prepare them so that they are able to protect themselves.”..