Young and passionate HIV activist
Helena Reinhold joined Tonata group which is for people living with and affected by HIV at an early age. As a former Teens Club member, and under the supervision of Tonata network and various partners, Reinhold shares her insight and meets up with different adolescents and discusses meeting the needs...
Tunohole Mungoba
The 19 year old was born to an unemployed father and her mother was a community health activist. She was also a capacity builder for various support groups of people living with and affected by HIV in Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto and Ohangwena region. After her mother moved with her to Okongo in the northern Namibia when Reinhold was 10, her mother introduced her to different Teens health clubs in Okongo.
“Later I decided to join an HIV Teens Club and it was created by Tonata network’s community based facilitators for teenagers living with and affected by HIV. That decision changed my life,” says Reinhold. She also added that her life would not be the same, I gained valuable information about sexual reproductive rights from the club”. Erastus Ndilenga, communications officer of Tonata explained to the Zone that Reinhold is very passionate about making a difference in her community and that is why she joined even though she is HIV negative. “She is also very much inspired by her mother and that is why she is active in the clubs.”
The club is a platform created by the ministry of health to empower teens with not only HIV, but health information and to support teens born with and affected by HIV to live a positive life. After completing her high school at Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Senior Secondary School, she continued with her HIV activism. “At school, my peers used to ask me if I was HIV positive. This comes as a result of me being active in the HIV field at school”, explained Reinhold.
In addition, she also established a club at the Kupila Combined School after she learned it was ranked the highest teenage pregnancy in Uukwiyuushona Constituency. She uses the clubs at a platform where adolescents come together to discuss freely and openly about health issues affecting them. “It is an ideal act to make adolescents’ aware of dangers around sexual intercourse at an early age. It will be a waste of materials and time to rescue a poisoned young person in future. The time is now to share with them what we know is effective for them,” she explained to the Zone.
Some schools in Oshana region showed their interest to work closely with Reinhold to establish health clubs in all schools. The club is registered with the Tonata network and with the Uukwiiyuushona constituency office.
“I believe in testing and trying, as a young person with a positive vision, you have to test and try new things to take your people from known things to unknown things,” Reinhold says.
Pull-out quote 1: “It is an ideal act to make adolescents’ aware of dangers around sexual intercourse at an early age. It will be a waste of materials and time to rescue a poisoned young person in future. The time is now to share with them what we know is effective for them.” – Helena Reinhold, HIV activist.
The 19 year old was born to an unemployed father and her mother was a community health activist. She was also a capacity builder for various support groups of people living with and affected by HIV in Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto and Ohangwena region. After her mother moved with her to Okongo in the northern Namibia when Reinhold was 10, her mother introduced her to different Teens health clubs in Okongo.
“Later I decided to join an HIV Teens Club and it was created by Tonata network’s community based facilitators for teenagers living with and affected by HIV. That decision changed my life,” says Reinhold. She also added that her life would not be the same, I gained valuable information about sexual reproductive rights from the club”. Erastus Ndilenga, communications officer of Tonata explained to the Zone that Reinhold is very passionate about making a difference in her community and that is why she joined even though she is HIV negative. “She is also very much inspired by her mother and that is why she is active in the clubs.”
The club is a platform created by the ministry of health to empower teens with not only HIV, but health information and to support teens born with and affected by HIV to live a positive life. After completing her high school at Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Senior Secondary School, she continued with her HIV activism. “At school, my peers used to ask me if I was HIV positive. This comes as a result of me being active in the HIV field at school”, explained Reinhold.
In addition, she also established a club at the Kupila Combined School after she learned it was ranked the highest teenage pregnancy in Uukwiyuushona Constituency. She uses the clubs at a platform where adolescents come together to discuss freely and openly about health issues affecting them. “It is an ideal act to make adolescents’ aware of dangers around sexual intercourse at an early age. It will be a waste of materials and time to rescue a poisoned young person in future. The time is now to share with them what we know is effective for them,” she explained to the Zone.
Some schools in Oshana region showed their interest to work closely with Reinhold to establish health clubs in all schools. The club is registered with the Tonata network and with the Uukwiiyuushona constituency office.
“I believe in testing and trying, as a young person with a positive vision, you have to test and try new things to take your people from known things to unknown things,” Reinhold says.
Pull-out quote 1: “It is an ideal act to make adolescents’ aware of dangers around sexual intercourse at an early age. It will be a waste of materials and time to rescue a poisoned young person in future. The time is now to share with them what we know is effective for them.” – Helena Reinhold, HIV activist.
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