| Recently, the nation was alarmed
when the case of a Primary 3 pupil pregnant with her 14-year-old
schoolmate’s child was reported in a newspaper article
(The Straits Times, 1 March 2007, H3, Home). Another newspaper
article that caused a stir was that of a 19-year-old girl who
had contracted HIV from her boyfriend (The Straits Times, 28
August 2006, H7, Home). These articles highlight the growing
concerns about the spread of STI/HIV among the teens, as well
as issues concerning teen abortion and teen pregnancy. The need
for sex education for the younger population has not been more
urgent. In fact, Ministry of Health
figures for 2001 to 2005 show an average of around 1,500 teen
abortions every year. Nearly all the teens who aborted their
babies in 2005 were between 15 – 19 years old and unmarried.
Furthermore, the number of STI cases – including gonorrhoea,
genital herpes and warts – among youths aged 10 –
19 increased three folds from 2002 to 2004. More than 40 Singaporeans
aged 19 and younger were diagnosed as HIV-positive by the
end of 2006.
A poll conducted by Aoxiang Counselling
Service in 2005 showed that as many as one-third of 1,500
students aged between 13 and 14 said they are already having
sex (The Straits Times, 14 March 2007, Mind Your Body, 10).
Recognizing the importance to empower
teens/youths in Singapore with the essential sex education,
HOPE worldwide (Singapore) collaborated with its headquarters
based in Philadelphia, HOPE worldwide, to offer the HOPE
worldwide Positive Choice Programme in Singapore.
Movie TherapyTM - Youth Health
(Smoking Control)
Smoking is addictive. In America, smoking
kills 1,200 people daily. In Singapore, one in seven Singaporeans
die of smoking related diseases everyday! In a survey conducted
among youths from Secondary 1 – 4; 25% had tried smoking,
20% of smokers were dependent on smoking and felt like having
a cigarette first thing in the morning!
With the tobacco companies targeting their
advertising campaigns at teen smokers, HOPE worldwide (Singapore)
has been working with the Health Promotion Board to offer
a Movie Therapy workshop entitled “My Choice”
that dispels the myths of smoking, helps them to make an informed
decision about smoking, and gain freedom/control over their
lives through healthy lifestyle (vs. addiction).
About 2,400 students from various
schools and tertiary institutions have benefited from this
innovative Movie Therapy workshop since October 2006.
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