Windhoek
Award winning artist, The Dogg, whose real name is Martin Morocky has committed himself to spreading the message of sexual reproductive health through his music.
Morocky was part of a group of musicians from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) who recently filmed a music video for the Safeguard Young People (SYP) programme in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The SYP programme is aimed at identifying and scaling up comprehensive interventions for teenagers and young people in southern Africa through a multi-sectoral approach, which includes policy, integrated HIV and sexual reproductive youth friendly services.
Speaking to New Era on his commitment to spread the word on sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS, Morocky said he wants young people to know and educate themselves on these issues.
“The message is out there but more remains to be done,” said Morocky in commenting on why there are new infections of HIV/AIDS and why so many teenagers still become pregnant. He noted that the message on how people can protect themselves against HIV infection and unwanted pregnancies is out there, yet people are not heeding the message.
“People are still ignorant. People don’t show real pictures of what is going on for the message to really hit home and that is needed,” said Morocky.
SYP is a two-phased programme and is the result of a partnership that aims at improving the sexual and reproductive health status of adolescents and young people aged 10 to 24.
It has a special focus on adolescent girls in eight southern African countries, namely Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, by the end of 2019, explained Emma Mbekele, the programme analyst for communications at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). UNFPA is one of the sponsors of the programme.
“The Dogg is one of the youth who has committed to being change agents in their communities. We will be using him for United Nations events. This is not the end of our collaboration,” said Mbekele.