Pop star Lady Jaydee to lead campaign on family planning

MST country Director, Ulla Muller

A nationwide family planning campaign has been launched by Marie Stopes Tanzania (MST) who will work in advocacy with renowned singer Judith Wambura popularly known as Lady Jaydee.

 

Under the 'Chagua Maisha' (choose life) campaign, Marie Stopes Tanzania has contracted Lady Jaydee to be the face of the campaign as an iconic role model for women in the country.

 

 Speaking soon after the contract signing event yesterday in Dar es Salaam , MST country Director Ulla Muller, said the campaign is envisioned to create awareness that all, especially young women, have the right to choose family planning to protect their health and fulfill their dreams.

 

She said currently in Tanzania, one in every four women under the age of 19 has already become a mother and around 20 per cent of women under 19 are married often against their will.

 

 “If a girl becomes pregnant for any reason she is expelled from school and loses her education,” she pointed out showing the dire need for family planning.

 

“This is not a supportive environment within which young people require if they are going to grow and succeed socially or economically either,” she added.

 

She cautioned that, with a population that stands at 54 per cent being below the age of 20, Tanzania must take steps to harness the workforce that will see it transform the economy, over the span of 10 years, into a middle income one, if the youth are given access to the support they need.

 

Commenting, Lady Jaydee said she is pleased to work as an ambassador for the organisation because it is doing so much to help women help themselves.

She said she has always believed passionately that women have the ability to transform Tanzania for the better.

 

“It was heart breaking to learn just how many women are dying when giving birth and how many girls miss out their education because of unplanned pregnancies,” she lamented.

 

She said MST and other providers can help women and girls complete their education and start their careers before they decide to become mothers.

She expressed her determination to support the campaign to ensure that ‘everyone knows they have the right to make choices as to when they want to have children and how many.’

 

Currently MST has eleven health centres across Tanzania which offer family planning services to women of all ages free of charge.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN