Better understanding saves better- Haramaya University Female Students forum and student union organizes training

Haramaya University female student’s forum and student union in collaboration with women, child and youth affairs directorate provided 150 female students with a training concerning reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections on January 29, 2022.

Mr. Mekonen Dagne, a delegate for the directorate of women, child and youth affairs office, said at his opening speech that preparing training on reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections including HIV aids, especially for students in higher education, is vital since it awakes them so that they can save themselves from such infections. In higher education areas, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections including HIV aids is estimated to be higher than in other areas. At the end of his speech, Mr. Mekonen advised the students to protect themselves and others from such infections.

Mr. Behailu Hawulte, the trainer, and  lecturer of public health at Haramaya University College of health and medical science informed us  that the main objective of the training is to raise students’ awareness about reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections, to enhance their knowledge based decision skills on their own life and to enable them to help the society at large because  higher education students are highly exposed to these infections as a result of being on fire age and absence of parents’ guidance and control.

According to our national data on sexually transmitted diseases, 4% of the work force (aged from 15-45 years) is infected annually by sexually transmitted infections which, in turn, means sexually transmitted infections wreak havocs on the country’s overall development, added Mr. Behailu.

Sara Temesgen, a fifth year law student and president for Female Students Union in Haramaya University, in her turn, says that the training is crucial to the students as it promotes their understanding about their reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections and she added that similar trainings will be given to other students. Similarly, Student Yetnayet Feleke, Female Students’ Union secretary, believes that giving such wonderful training is very helpful to make students successful in their education too as health is the center of human success.

Likewise, the participants appreciated the training in terms of concept, appropriateness and the way it was delivered, and thanked the trainer and the organizers for preparing such a wonderful training.