Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

UPDATE November 2022
Adolescent Pregrenancy Prevention in Remote Villages

The project started this fall. It will take 18 – 24 months to fulfil the target of reaching 9 villages. In one year we will start to accrue follow-up data on the rate of adolescent pregnancy and childhood marriage as a measure of our effectiveness. However, it may easily take longer than one meagre year to show impact on a change in values within society. You may find details of progress to date in the BBYC Narrative Report December 2022 (> about us > annual reports).

UPDATE November 2021
Adolescent Pregrenancy Prevention in Remote Villages

During our team discussions in June 2021, Mathilde Bwalya, Head Counsellor at Bumi Bwesu Youth Center, maintained we were not reaching young teenagers. There were too many pregnancies in this age group. The facts bore her out: according to statistics from the District Offices of Health and Education there were 363 pregnancies in teenagers in the district (population 250,000). 184 of the 363 pregnancies were in primary school pupils, starting in the fourth grade! These pregnancies in adolescents were proportionately more frequent in remote villages than in the towns. So, the team decided to reorient its operations to prevent adolescent pregnancy in remote villages. That means starting at age ten in the fourth grade, for those attending school, and somehow reaching those who do not attend school. It means not only working with girls, but also with boys; not only informing about contraception but making contraception available; and it means informing about the day-after pill and legal medical abortion. We are fortunate, the government is on our side, working toward the same goals, good laws are in place. The team will coordinate with the Department of Health, which brings comprehensive mobile health services to the villages.

UPDATE November 2019
One Stop Centre for Survivors of Gender Based Violence

Since last year BBYC has been recognized by the local Zambian government as well as other NGO’s as the One Stop Centre for survivors of Gender-Based Violence in Nchelenge District – a worthy praise and a mighty responsibility. Unfortunately, no government funds have accompanied this acclaim, so we still need to fundraise as usual. However, we continue to strive to get more commitment from the Zambian government.

New BBYC premises

Thanks to donations from a Swiss foundation as well as from family, friends and colleagues, we were able to collect the necessary $38,000 in funds. The new building is now almost finished, just waiting for electricity and water. With ownership of its own premises, BBYC has been freed from paying an onerous rent for a poorly maintained building, is more centrally located providing better access for clients, and stands in closer proximity to its network of clinics, hospital, police station and the court. Furthermore, it now has the basic technical structure required to offer clients the degree of confidentiality demanded by the nature of this work.

Care of Survivors of Gender Based Violence

Survivors continue to seek help at BBYC centre. In 2018 Bumi Bwesu attended to 133 new cases while sill working on 50 on-going cases. The figures for 2019 will be in in the first quarter of 2020. Caring for survivors is arduous; it requires perseverance and a good network in the community, and it requires making compromises in order to find the best solutions possible in an imperfect world, as shown in the story of Prisca (see this website, “letters”).

Prevention

Bumi Bwesu staff continues to work tirelessly to prevent sexual violence by sensitizing villagers, community chiefs, school children, teachers, politicians, health workers, police, and members of the justice department. This year BBYC put special emphasis on sensitizing village headmen, headwomen and community leaders.

Family Planning

Bumi Bwesu promotes Family Planning by disseminating information in villages and holding discussions with men and women. These talks are linked to services rendered by the District Health Office. As we operate within the existing health structure, we are strengthening the current health system.

Youth

Bumi Bwesu rotates through schools holding discussions on matters such as child labor, child abuse, sexual abuse, unwanted pregnancy and prevention of sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.

Remote Villages

In response to local demand, BBYC decided to expand its range to a few remote villages, which can only be reached by hours of four-wheel drive over rough paths through the bush. Due to the high price of fuel, this expanded outreach will add costs to our budget.

HIV

Bumi Bwesu has been conducting HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) since 2007. Those who test positive are referred for immediate commencement of treatment. VCT and immediate commencement of treatment is the cornerstone of all current efforts to improve the lives of people living with HIV, as well as prevent further transmission.

Annual Results

Results of individual activities for 2018 can be seen in more detail on this website: “about us/ annual reports/ BBYC annual results 2018." Annual results for 2019 will be available in the first quarter of 2020.

UPDATE December 2018

Bumi Bwesu Youth Centre, our local partner working in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, is now recognized as the leading NGO working on Gender Based Violence in Nchelenge district, Zambia. Among other signs of recognition, BBYC has been commissioned to carry out its work (GBV prevention and care of GBV “survivors”) in the Mantapala refugee camp, which is home to 20,000 Congolese refugees. Meanwhile, Bumi Bweus continues its prised work in the district, fighting sexual abuse and caring for GBV survivors – guiding them to obtain medical care, providing emotional support and legal counselling, in the pursuit of protection and justice.

BBYC: Founding a Center to fight Gender Based Violence in 2013

Sexual exploitation, household violence and other forms of gender based violence are pervasive in Zambia. As a result of an evaluation we carried out in 2010, in which teenage girls told us their stories of sexual coercion, child molestation and rape, we decided to initiate a comprehensive program to treat and counsel victims of gender-based violence (GBV). GBV encompasses everything from wife beating to gang rape, from incest to child abuse, whether physical, sexual or emotional.

On July 2nd, 2013 Bumi Bwesu Youth Centre officially opened its doors as a Coordinated Response Centre for Survivors of Gender Based Violence. We prefer to say “survivors”, because we aim to make victimization a thing of the past. What do the survivors need? They need live-saving medical attention such as: post-expositional HIV preventive therapy, treatment of injuries and sexually transmitted infections, and post-coital contraception. Furthermore they need psychosocial counselling, legal advice, and often shelter as well as protection. GBV is deep-rooted and widespread in the community, therefore this project requires on-going intensive community sensitization. As comprehensive care of survivors will be provided by a myriad of professionals and para-professionals, we maintain an active and committed network in the community.

Bumi Bwesu Youth Centre also conducts a range of other activities concerning sexual and reproductive health: family planning, HIV testing and counselling, and promotion of life skills in youth. The brochure in the Picture Gallery was made by Bumi Bwesu Youth Center staff and a few talented local kids under the guidance of Suzanne Joyal, our Jumpstart USA Director.