The four-year project dubbed: “Get up, Speak out,” (GUSO) is being implemented by a consortium of six Non-Governmental Organisations, under the Ghana SRHR Alliance for Young People; Savana Signatures, NORSAAC, Presby Health-North, Plan Parenthood Association of Ghana, Curious Minds and Hope For Future Generation.

It is being financed by Rutgers, CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, dance4life, Simavi, STOP AIDS NOW! and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).    GUSO is to enable all young people in the beneficiary schools, which include Langbinsi A/G Primary School, Zogiligu Primary School, Langbina Primary, Dagbiribuari Primary and Gambaga Presby Primary and Junior High School to fully enjoy their SRHR services in productive, equal and healthy societies.

Mr Frederick Nuuri-Teg, the Project Manager in-charge of GUSO at Savana Signatures, who elaborated on the project at its commencement meeting at Nalerigu, said it would also ensure community support for young people on SRHR needs through the reformation of socio-cultural norms that served as barriers to young people’s SRHR.

The meeting, which was attended by officials from the East Mamprusi District’s Education and Health Directorates, community leaders and youth groups, discussed challenges young people faced trying to access SRHR information and services and how the GUSO project sought to address them.

It emerged that young people did not report issues of sexually transmitted infections on time because of fear of stigmatisation. Mr Nuuri-Teg called for total support of all stakeholders to ensure that young people freely access SRHR information and services to become productive leaders in future to be able to assert their rights.

Stakeholders, who attended the meeting, pledged their support for the implementation of the project to ensure its sustainability.