admin | July 3, 2025
This week’s Script of the Week focuses on a powerful community initiative in Mali that’s tackling reproductive health challenges among young girls living in gold panning areas.
In many parts of West Africa, traditional gold panning attracts thousands of young people looking for work—but it also brings serious risks. In these regions, young girls face high exposure to early and unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), prostitution, land conflict, and limited access to health services.
The script highlights the work of La Maison de l’Éducation et de Sensibilisation, located in the 1008 Housing Estate of Yirimadjo in Bamako. This local organization provides sexual and reproductive health education and access to contraception for vulnerable girls. Through workshops, information sessions, and contraceptive distribution, the initiative empowers young women to make informed decisions about their bodies and their futures.
This script can be useful in developing programs on methods of contraception for young girls living in gold mining areas. There is need to explain why these regions are particularly affected by reproductive health problems: economic and social instability promotes precariousness and limits access to health services, seasonal migration of workers creates conditions conducive to unprotected relationships, and inadequate access to sex education and health services increases the vulnerability of young girls.
If you choose to present this content as part of your regular program, you may use local actors, actresses, or hosts to portray the interviewees. If so, please make sure to inform your audience at the beginning of the program that these are the voices of actors, actresses, or hosts, and not the actual interviewees.
If you’re interested in creating programs about methods of contraception for young girls in gold mining or vulnerable areas, talk to an NGO manager, a specialist and a beneficiary. For example, you might ask your interviewees the following questions:
- What methods of contraception are most appropriate for young girls and women in these contexts?
- What are the barriers that limit their access to these methods?
- What are the factors to consider when choosing a method of contraception?
- What precautions should be taken to ensure the effectiveness of methods of contraception?
- What advice would you give young girls to ensure the effectiveness of methods of contraception?
Length of program, including intro and extro: 25 to 30 minutes.
Promoting contraception among young girls in vulnerable areas – Farm Radio Scripts: Promoting contraception among young girls in vulnerable areas