Matilda

Kerry

Beauty Queen with a

Career in Medicine

Planning For
Your Future
Now

Your
Sexuality
Questions
Answered

Alexander
Ezenagu
Life after being
One-day Governor

Volume 21 No.3
September 2014

Increasing Your
Self Esteem

PUBLISHER
Action Health Incorporated (AHI)
Vol. 21 No. 4 September 2014
ISSN-118-4574
CONTRIBUTORS
Adeola Faseyi
Ada Ogbechie
Francesca Adeola Abiola
Oluronke Bright
Oluwafunso Bukoye
Peculiar Ediomo-Abasi
PHOTOGRAPHER
Emmanuel Eshiet

COVER PHOTO:
Adaeze Ezike
Temiloluwa Oduntan

GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT

Milos Janojlic
Mosunmola Oladipupo
Dejan Nikolic
PRINT PRODUCTION
Fine Print Limited

SPECIAL THANKS
The John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation for funding
magazine production

Action Health Incorporated

(AHI) is a non-profit organization
committed to improving the health
and development of young people
in Nigeria. Since 1989, AHI has
served as an advocate and catalyst
for change by increasing public
awareness and action on adolescent
sexual and reproductive health
issues, and implementing innovative
youth development programmes.
The views expressed in the
magazine are those of the authors
and not those of AHI or any of our
donor organizations.
Address all correspondence to:
The Editor, Growing Up Magazine
Action Health Incorporated,
17 Lawal Street, Jibowu, Lagos
P.O. Box 803, Yaba-Lagos, Nigeria
E-mail: info@actionhealthinc.org
Website:
http/www.growingupmag.org
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/actionhealthinc
Tweet at us: @actionhealthinc

02

September 2014

Do you
know?
1. A hippopotamus runs faster than a man. True or False
2. How many percent of water does the average human brain contain?
3. How many bones are in your feet?
4. The human thigh bones are stronger than concrete. True or false
5. In what part of your body are your most active muscles located?
6. What does the first letter of the month July to November spell?
7. How many litres of saliva does your mouth produce in a day?
Answers on page 30

Contents:
3 Lead Story - Planning for Your
Future Now
6 Poems
7 Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh: A
Nations Heroine

14 Former Beauty Queen Speaks

on Pursuing a Rewarding Career in
Medicine
16 Your Opinion
19 Cartoon

8 Dear Diary

20 Your Question Answered

9 Whats up at AHI?

22 Young Achiever: Ezenagu

Alexander, the Young and
Outstanding Barrister.

*A Remarkable Moment for Outof-School Girls

*Annual FLHE Coordination
Meeting Held in Lagos

24 Life Skills to Acquire: Increasing

Your Self Esteem

26 Planning for Your Future

*Empowered for Life: Young People
Trained on HIV Prevention
27 Simple Tips to Overcome Body
Odour
* UNFPA Country Representative
Visit AHI
28 Movie Review
12 New Family Life and HIV
Education Students Handbookfor
Schools

30 Puzzle & Jokes

32 Resource page
www.actionhealthinc.org

I Am Finally That

unmi! Stop disturbing yourself, there is even

nothing at all to show that education is for
you that was our neighbor Iya Bimbo. She
would sit me down sometimes and tell me stories of
how she progressed from being an apprentice to owning her own hairdressing saloon, without even having
to go to school. She was very willing to put me through
the same process. But deep inside of me, I desired more.

Everything around me seemed to be saying NO to my

desires, and it hurt. I lost my dad when I was barely
three years old, and lost every other thing, except my
mum and my uncertain desires. My mum and I had to
relocate to Iwo in Osun state, as my dads elder brother came and took all that we had. We stayed there for
three years, before my mum remarried and moved to
Ibadan. That was when I was forced to remember that I
came to this world alone.

I had to go and live with my Uncle Ajadi at Ijebu Ode

for two years and later with Aunty Funke in Lagos. Did
I really attend primary school? I cant particularly say
so, because I was rarely in one school for long enough,
as my living circumstances changed from being relocated from one family member to the next. My time in
secondary school was fair enough with more stability,
but my time was divided between thirty per cent house
chores, forty per cent hawking, and the remaining thirty per cent left for school work.

GRADUATE!
ceed.. This young lady has proven that with hard
work and determination, one can always succeed regardless of the situation
(This is a real life story but the character has chosen
to use a fictitious name to protect her privacy)
Planning For Your Future Now
Like Bunmi Oreshade, transition from childhood into
adulthood might be challenging for many young people.
This is a stage where many things seem to be happening at once, such as battling with confusing emotions,
trying to figure ones identity and build a personality.
There is also the decision of what career to be pursued
in the future as well as other decisions to be made as a
young person.
No matter how daunting all these may seem, you can
create a desired future by planning ahead. Starting
now, you can choose a career you want to pursue and
nurture that dream.
What steps should you take in planning
for the future?
WHAT DO YOU WANT IN LIFE?

Life had been so unfair to me, or so I thought, that I

barely knew what was right for me anymore, but I
just always knew that if I wanted to meet up with my
desire of being a Journalist, I had to study, study and
study with the little time I had. At the age of 19, I gained
admission into the University of Lagos to study Mass
Communication. It was yet another phase of struggles.
I had to do part time jobs: teach private lessons, work
as a sales assistant during the weekends, dry clean
clothes for friends, and then meet my mum for the little she could add up for me. With these, I was able to
pull through the University financially. When my final
results were released, I was overwhelmed with excitement that I, Bunmi Oreshade, was graduating with a
Second Class Upper Division; all that hard work and
perseverance had paid off after all!

I now work with a newspaper organisation in Lagos.

Personally, I have come to realize that life poses challenges not to ruin us, but as an opportunity to discover
how determined we are about achieving our dreams
and aspirations.
Your family background or life circumstance does
not have to put an end to your aspirations to sucwww.actionhealthinc.org

In Mark Strands words The future is always beginning

now. To plan for the future, you must first understand
who you are and what you want in life. What are your
dreams? What do you need to achieve these dreams?
What challenges/obstacles are you likely to encounter
in the pursuit of your dreams? What skills do you have?
What do you love doing?
September 2014

03

What you love doing reveals your interests and skills.

Most times, your interests are closely tied to your skills,
especially skills you enjoy using often. Identifying your
skills can open you up to more career options. For instance, a person who is good at drawing, can develop
that skill by deciding to study Fine-Art or Architecture
in the University
IDENTIFY YOUR GOALS

Your attitude towards issues has a great influence in

deciding your career.

A useful way of making goals more powerful is to use

the SMART memory aid when setting them. SMART
stands for:
S Specific (or Significant).
M Measurable (or Meaningful).
A Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
R Relevant (or Rewarding).
T Time-bound (or Trackable).
Making a Career Decision

One of the decisions or future plans young people have

to decide about is the choice of a career.

There are many factors that influence a young persons

career decision and spark a lifelong interest in a job. It
could be a game played as a child or a character on a
television show. Other influences are; family, friends,
culture, media and teachers. Despite these influences,
you are the most important decision maker. You also
have to make plans to achieve your desired career.
The steps in achieving a desired career include:
1. Assess Yourself

A goal is something specific that you want to accomplish

within a certain period of time. People who achieve
their goals are those who take time to clearly define
what they want and pursue it relentlessly. It might be a
long term goal (To become a doctor in future) or a short
term goal (To finish reading a textbook by the end of a
week).
Discussing your goals with trusted people like your
family, counselors, teachers, religious leaders and mentors can help you understand your life aspirations better.
You can set goals in some of the following areas (or in
other areas you feel are important to you):

Career What level do you wish to attain in a chosen

career? Do you want to work in an established organization or become an entrepreneur with your own business?
Education What educational qualifications/levels
do you wish to attain? What information and skills are
needed to obtain these qualifications, for how long will
you need to study?

Attitude - Are there certain attitudes that can disturb

achievement of your goals? Are you optimistic or pessimistic? Do you procrastinate or work well with time?
04

September 2014

Before you can make a career choice you have to learn

about yourself. Ask yourself, what do I like to do? What
am I passionate about? What are my values, interests,
skills, and personality traits that will make this career
suitable for me?
You can talk to a counselor, your parents or someone
who is already practicing the profession to give you
more insight.
2. Explore your career Options

Learn about your career options. What is needed for

my chosen career? What subjects am I supposed to
take at O levels? What skills are needed? What school
will offer me the best platform for this career? What are
the likely challenges? These are a few questions to ask
yourself when making a career choice.
3. Set your priorities

A third step in choosing a career is to sort out your priorities for that career. This is a major component of career planning for a young person. After you have spent
time on step one and two, some of your strong preferences would start to emerge. You might learn that you
dont want to work in an office environment, or you
might find out that your interest in art wouldnt sustain
a career, so you can take those types of jobs off your
career list.
www.actionhealthinc.org

What are my
Career Plans/
objectives?

What activities do I
need to undertake
Priority
to achieve my
objectives?

To finish Secondary School

Study , attend
classes

To Study Mass
Communication

Make at least 5 As
in my WAEC
-Write Jamb

What support/
resources do I
need to achieve my
objectives
Get textbooks
Source for
educational material
online
-Take extra lessons
-Read past WAEC
and JAMB question
papers

Target date for Actual date of

achieving my achieving my
objectives
objectives
2015

May 2015

2015

September 2015

Review Date:
Whatever it is that you learn about yourself, you are
making important discoveries that will help you choose
a good career.
Most importantly, keep it all in perspective. Set a time
frame and continue to assess yourself to see how far
you have gone and what more you need to do. This can
be done with a career plan template.

The good news is that while you can decide on a career to pursue now, you dont have to live forever with
that career. Most people change careers several times
during their lives, so the first career you choose probably may not be your career 15 or 20 years from now -unless you want it to be. So dont put too much pressure
on yourself to make the perfect decision, and always
keep your eyes open, and use all available resources in
your journey of choosing a career.
Challenges are bound to arise when planning for the
future. Some common challenges young people face in
making career choices include:

Finances: Sometimes, parents/ guardians might not

have the finance to help pursue your desired career. Do
not allow this become a setback, instead why not think
of taking up a part-time job as this will help support
your education and also build your skills and professionalism.

Peer Pressure: At times, we tend to drift towards what

our friends are doing and not pursue our own dreams.
Choosing your friends wisely will help in overcoming
this challenge. Associate with friends that will help you
achieve your goals and support your dreams.

Change in Career Choice: You might have started out

to study Medicine but discover along the line, you have
a love for Arts. You are faced with the dilemma of either
pursuing your love for Art or career aspiration of becoming a doctor. As challenging as this might seem, it
is pretty easy because you can be a medical doctor and
also an artist. All it takes is setting your priorities right.

www.actionhealthinc.org

But if you cant achieve that, you could decide to pursue

your love for Arts and develop it into a career. Carefully
and strategically re-plan and set your goals to suit your
current career choice.

In all, setting goals is paramount when planning for

the future because it helps you to be focused. However,
change is a constant thing in life thus; we must always
be prepared to adapt to new developments and trends.
You own the key to creating a great future for yourself
hence start today by planning for your future.

References:

Careersnz. (2014). Helping with Subject, Study or Training Decisions.

Retrieved from http://www.careers.govt.nz/plan-your-career/helpingyoung-people-make-decisions/
About Careers. ( 2014) . How to Make a Career Choice When you Have
No Idea What to Do. Retrieved from http://careerplanning.about.com/
od/careerchoicechan/tp/Career-Choice.htm
Career lift . (2014). How to Chose a Career. Retrieved from http://
www.careerliftoff.com/how_to_choose_a_career.html
Mind Tools. (2014). Personal Goal Setting. Retrived from HYPERLINK
http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html www.mindtools.com/page6.
htm
British Columbia. (2013) A Transition Planning and Resource Guide
For Youth With Special Needs and Their Families

Richard,. N.B., & Carrol., C. ( 2006). What Color is Your Parachute?

For Teens; Discovering Yourself, Defining Your Future . United
States: Ten Speed Press

September 2014

05

Poems
My Future
Half the night, I waste in sighs.
In a wakeful doze I sorrow for my future,
Because I dream.
I dream the reality of my future.

The reality of my future; an unripe orange.

For in time, it shall ripe for his farmer.
So I sweat, knowing life has problems.
But with satisfaction in my heart.
Because I dream.

My Tomorrow Begins Today

Old deeds are bygone,
Behold the current, Live in the moment.
The past is behind those who see the future in the present,
Make hay while the sun shines
Time is of the essence
Tomorrow begins as soon as today takes a bow
Let it be heard in every city and every town,
The quest for a better tomorrow begins NOW.

My dream,
My future,
My purpose,
Ill nurture you,
Till tomorrow becomes today.
Jennifer Anya-Lekwa

Many at times we are caught offering our condolences,

to make ourselves feel better about how we failed to
plan yesterday.
We do this continuously,
forgetting to plan tomorrow.
It doesnt matter what you did yesterday.
What are you doing today to make tomorrow an improvement of yesterday?

Soar High

Todays Decisions Determine My Success

Look to the future

Detach from the past
Let the people go
Start anew this time
Look to the future
Love like itll last
Dream like its forever
No more envy
Look to the future
Have the star life
Learn from others
Take it in
Look to the future
Be proud of yourself
No more lies
No more disguise
Look to the future
Solve the unresolved
Be someones firefly
Stop living for yourself
Look to the future
Be the person
You dream to be
Stop fantasizing
Look to the future
Its only gets brighter
From here on out
Detach from the past
Look to the future

When I think about my future

All I see is success
When I think of success
My heart is possessed
When I dream of success
I become obsessed
When I have touched success
Ive made progress

Ekeulu Chinwendu Lucy

06

September 2014

Abah Nehemiah

To what I longed to find

Keeping the goal in mind
A moment like this
Is worth holding onto
I have made it happen
Share my joy with the world
In hopes to inspire
Another with my story

I own it
Yes, I know it
I made the impossible, possible
Wont stop here with success
Ill keep moving up the ladder
See myself rise higher and higher
I found success in life
I hope for success
And I gained it through
My determination to make it happen
Olufemi Omotayo

www.actionhealthinc.org

Dr. Stella Adadevoh: A Nations Heroine

Dr. Adadevoh was an endocrinologist from an illustrious
family of physicians, politicians, statesmen and clerics. Her
father, the late Dr. Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh, was a renowned physician and former vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, while her grandmother was the daughter of Sir
Herbert Samuel Macaulay.

As the Head of Operations of First Consultants Hospital, the

58 years old doctor led the medical team that treated Mr. Patrick Sawyer when he was rushed to the hospital. When she
noticed he was not responding to treatment for malaria earlier suspected, she went further to run other tests which detected that Sawyer was infected with the Ebola Virus Disease.

he could have yielded to the pressure to discharge

the patient after she saw the symptoms, but Dr. Stella
Adadevoh decided to stand her ground and do her job;
saving a nation from untold danger and losing her life in the
process.

She immediately took all necessary containment measures

including isolating the patient, refusing him to be let out of
the hospital, commenced barrier nursing and simultaneously contacted the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Health. This response was instrumental in
saving Nigeria from an outbreak of EVD.

Dr. Stella Adadevoh paid the supreme sacrifice by her patriotism and outstanding professionalism. She remains our national icon and will be remembered for good in the annals of
the history of Nigeria.

Quick Facts about Ebola

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal illness, with a death rate of
up to 90%. The illness affects humans and non-human primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees).

Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, one in a village near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic
of Congo, and the other in a remote area of Sudan.
Ebola is contacted through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals or persons. It is therefore important to reduce contact with high-risk animals.
During an outbreak, those at higher risk of the infection are: Health workers; Family members or others in close contact with
infected people; Mourners who have direct contact with the bodies of the deceased as part of burial ceremonies.
The incubation period, or time interval from infection to onset of symptoms, is from 2 to 21 days. The patients become
contagious once they begin to show symptoms. They are not contagious during the incubation period, and it can only be confirmed through laboratory testing.
The symptoms are deceptively general - tending to look a lot like malaria or flu. The first and most important sign is a HIGH
and SUDDEN FEVER plus any of these other signs: Diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, joint or muscle pains, stomach pain, lack of
appetite, sore throat, bleeding etc.
There is currently no specific treatment to cure the disease.

There are a few things to protect yourself and your family.

Wash Your Hands
with Soap and Water. Do this a lot.
www.actionhealthinc.org

You can also use a

good hand sanitizer.

Avoid unnecessary
contact!
September 2014

07

Dear Diary
by Adeola Faseyi

Monday
Thursday and Friday was our mid-term break so we could
not meet the counselor as planned. But we went to see her
after our English class today. As we sat in the counselors office explaining all that we knew about Ozommas pregnancy,
Tammys dad walked in. I felt my heart skip a beat when I
saw the two police officers behind him. He immediately stated his reason for the visit, after they exchanged pleasantries.
He had stumbled on Ozommas letter, read it and reported
the case to the police station. He was happy that we were
already talking to someone about it, so he just asked that the
school counselor release one or two of us to take him to the
culprits house. Mrs. Alabeni, our Civic Education teacher
went with us too. As we got to Ozommas house, we walked
in to find a gory sight, and were just forced to imagine how
this gruesome Uncle of hers must have been forcing her to
have sex with him. He was so disgusting!!

Tuesday
The culprit was arrested yesterday; there was no need for
cross-examination as he was caught red-handed pulling
down the pants of yet another girl about 14- 15 years old,
while she lay on the couch unconscious. Only God knows
what he must have given her that made her pass out. The
girl was dropped at the nearest General hospital, we at our
school and he was zoomed off to the police station, I hope he
is zoomed off to jail from there.
I told mum all that had happened. When we had our night
devotion, she prayed for Ozomma to return safely and I said
AMEN like never before.
I miss my friend!

Wednesday
Guess what? Ozomma called today and narrated to us on the
phone how she woke up the morning after she left the house
in a hospital. She later found out that a woman had picked
her up by the roadside where she had passed out, somewhere in the outskirts of Lagos. With mixed feelings, Ozomma announced to us that she had lost her pregnancy. After
school today, Tammy, Khadijat and I had gone straight to the
counselors office to let her know that we had been able to
reach Ozomma. She immediately collected her phone number and dialed it, it wasnt long before a lady picked up to ask
who we were and then gave Ozomma the phone to talk to us.
She sounded a lot stronger and more alive; the smiles on our
faces as we took turns to speak to our friend was priceless.
08

September 2014

Thursday

Counselor had found out the address of the hospital from the
lady who first picked the call yesterday and she and Mrs Alabeni had gone to see Ozomma today. We begged that we be
allowed to go with them but our request was not granted.
One, because we needed to be in all classes and not miss any
as exams are fast approaching and two, because Mr Tikolo,
the weirdest teacher in the school decided to conduct his test
today of all days.

Friday
Today was yet another day without Ozomma. Irrespective of
how much we tried to make school lively for us, it just wasnt
fun without our friend. During break, we decided to buy
chocolate bread with tasty time instead of the usual, sausage
roll and yoghurt. One new girl in our class that enrolled almost at the middle of the term, asked to join us. We agreed!

Saturday
Khadijat, Tammy and I looked around for Ozomma in Church.
We agreed yesterday to meet today, so my friends and I met
at my church today. Tammy also came for rehearsals, so
Khadijat, joined us when we were done. She came with her
elder sisters phone; she had borrowed it so that we can all
try Ozommas number together. We sat somewhere at the
back of the empty church auditorium and Khadijat punched
in the numbers on the phone. Before the call went through,
I interrupted them, showing them what that new girl had
scribbled and given to me. It read

J IBWF B DPQZ PG PVS. Just be my friend first. We could

have spent more time trying to decode those letters but we
had to go home early, so that we can study for exams. So we
left it for break time on Monday.

Sunday
Back from church, while having the usual rice and stew at
the dining table; mum looked confused at me and said I
had a dream about you, but I will tell you after dinner. I just
hoped she would tell me already. After dinner, she began...
www.actionhealthinc.org

A Remarkable Moment
For Out-Of School Girls

t was an exciting experience for out-of-school girls

aged 10 19 living in Makoko as Action Health Incorporated (AHI) in collaboration with Agency for Mass
Education recently inaugurated an Out-of-School Adolescent Girls Empowerment Project in Makoko.
Through this project, sixty (60) indigent out-of-school
adolescent girls have been enrolled for skills acquisition training in hairdressing and fashion designing for
a period of two years. In addition, the girls were also
enrolled in literacy as well as Sexual and Reproductive
Health (SRH) classes to improve their literacy skills and
health.

At the inauguration ceremony, the girls were encouraged to give their best at their classes and endeavor to
complete their training so that they would be able to
gain the necessary skills to successful start off and run
their own businesses.

Annual FLHE Coordination

Meeting Held In Lagos

s part of efforts to improve classroom delivery of

the Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) curriculum in Public Junior Secondary Schools, the
Lagos State Ministry of Education in partnership with
Action Health Incorporated (AHI) organized the annual
coordination meeting of FLHE teachers in May, 2014.
The Coordination meetings were held simultaneous-

ly across the six Education Districts in Lagos with the

theme: Improvisation of Instructional materials.

A total of nine hundred and ninety-six (996) teachers

from the six Education Districts were taught how to
improvise instructional materials to aid teaching and
learning so as to reduce teachers dependence on conventional teaching methods. They were trained
to create instructional materials using common
items like; glue, flour, poster colour, water, calendar and cardboards for charts and drawings.

The coordination meeting featured activities

such as group exercises amongst the participants, presentations, and hands on activities.
The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss
other creative ways through which the teachers could teach FLHE. Some of these methods
included the use of songs and class activity involving their students. They were also advised to
keep abreast with current information and trend
in their field so as to broaden their knowledge.

Hands on Improvisation- Teachers learning how to create teaching aids

www.actionhealthinc.org

At the end of the meeting, the teachers expressed

their satisfaction at learning new methods to aid
their teaching and promised to make use of the
knowledge gained in their respective schools.
September 2014

09

Empowered For Life: Young People

Trained On HIV Prevention

o create awareness and reduce new HIV infections in Lagos State, Action Health Incorporated
(AHI) in collaboration with AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) scaled-up HIV prevention activities among young people by implementing the project: Promoting HIV Prevention Education among
in-school Youths using a Peer-led Approach.
During the course of this project, fifty (50) in-school
young people and eight (8) teachers from eight (8)
secondary schools were trained as peer educators promoting HIV Prevention Education among their peers.
The fifty peer educators will in turn reach out to four
thousand and five hundred (4,500) in-school youths,
providing them information to increase their personal
risk perception and ability to protect themselves from
contracting HIV.
With about 3 million Nigerians presently living with
HIV, young people are clearly disproportionately affected by the epidemic even with the decline in overall
HIV prevalence from a high of 5.8% in 2001 to about
3.4% in 2012. As the main drivers fueling Nigerias HIV
epidemic among young people include early sexual
exposure, unprotected sex, low condom use, multiple

010

September 2014

Students participating in group session

concurrent sexual partners informal transactional and

intergenerational sex, low risk perception etc.; there is
constant need to educate young people on preventive
measures against the virus.

www.actionhealthinc.org

UNFPA Country Representative

Visits AHI

nited Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative, Mrs.

Ratidzai Ndhlovu recently paid a
working visit to Action Health Incorporated
(AHI). During the visit, she interacted with
AHI programme team and met with the beneficiaries of the Out-of-School Girls Empowerment project in Iwaya and Makoko communities

She also visited Wesley Girls Junior High

School Yaba, Lagos where she observed a
Family Life and HIV Education classroom
session. Addressing teachers and students
after the class, Mrs. Ratidzai commended the
teachers for their efforts in delivering FLHE
and encouraged the girls to maximize what
they learn for their health and development.

Empowerment programme beneficiaries in Makoko Community

Group Photograph With Wesley Girls Junior High School

www.actionhealthinc.org

September 2014

011

New Family Life and HIV Education

Students Handbook for Schools

he beginning of the new academic year in the

States Public Junior Secondary Schools was
marked by the commencement of a collaborative
initiative between Action Health Incorporated and the
Lagos State Ministry of Education to improve students
sexual and reproductive health outcomes by creating
wider access to relevant resource materials.
Specifically geared towards addressing the lack of Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) learning materials,

the initiative involves the provision of free copies of the

newly revised FLHE Students Students Handbook to
FLHE Teachers and about 10,000 students enrolled in
10 public junior public secondary schools spread across
the six Educational Districts in Lagos State that were
selected by the Ministry of Education. All other Public
Junior Secondary Schools throughout Lagos State will
also receive library copies of the Handbook and as well
the copies of the CD version for all FLHE Teachers.

The FLHE Students Handbook

addresses the health and developmental topics contained in the National Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) curriculum. It covers
many of the important issues that
impact the well-being of Nigerias
youth including puberty and adolescence, sexually transmitted
infections, negotiation, making
values-based decisions, and gender norms. The book provides
answers to many of the questions
young people usually have about
the physical and emotional issues
they face as teenagers. Compared
to a typical textbook, the FLHE
Handbooks style is more personal
and interactive; it includes self-assessment quizzes, crossword puzzles, and cartoons. Students and
school administrators were very
excited to receive their copies of
the handbook.
Print copies of the handbook are
available for purchase at the AHI
office in Yaba. Electronic copies
can also be downloaded free of
charge from the AHI website:
http://actionhealthinc.org/
publications/flhe-studentshandbook.html.

012

September 2014

www.actionhealthinc.org

www.actionhealthinc.org

September 2014

013

Aje Comprehensive Junior

High School

Ojota Junior
Secondary School

Army Cantonment Junior

Secondary School

Lagos State Junior Model

College Ojo

Eko Akete Junior

Secondary School

Iju Junior Grammar School

Bolade Junior Grammar School

Epe Junior Grammar School

St. Lukes Junior

Grammar School

Wesley Girls Junior

Secondary School

Day In The Life...

Matilda Kerry
Osazuwa

Former Beauty Queen

What is your typical daily schedule?

My days are always so busy because I have to juggle

my work at LUTH and the work at the Foundation. I try
as much as possible to organize myself for the week. I
book my appointments and try to make provision for
my time at the fellowship programme that I am currently undergoing which is very important. My daily
schedule ranges from running clinics at LUTH, doing
community immersions, urban/ rural immersions, to
having screening exercise for the Foundation, treatment procedures at our Ikeja-based office. We also do
research work; and conferences may come up for me to
attend.

atilda Kerry Osazuwa is a former beauty queen

and a medical doctor at the Lagos University
Teaching Hospital (LUTH). A co-founder of
George Kerry Foundation, she is an epitome of beauty
and brain. She gives an insight on her job and life as a
medical doctor.

What does your job entail?

I am a medical doctor in the Department of Community

Medicine and Primary Health Care at Lagos University Teaching Hospital as well as Founder of the George
Kerry Life Foundation, an NGO established in 2007 that
focuses on womens health, cervical cancer, and breast
cancer prevention in particular. We run an active cervical cancer control campaign. We go into communities,
give awareness to women, and screen them against
cervical cancer and for those who are found with the
early precancerous lesion, we give treatment. We also
run training programs for health workers, community
nurses and traditional birth attendants. We teach them
how to perform these awareness and screening, so that
when we leave the community, it doesnt end there as
there is continuity and sustainability.
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September 2014

What qualifications/skills/qualities are

required to be a medical doctor?

First and foremost, you need to have interest in Science;

after Secondary school, you study for Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) as first degree at the
University. Afterwards, you can choose to acquire other skills and trainings like the Visual Inspection with
Acetic Acid (VIA) training that I got. I have a Masters
degree in Public Health which has helped expand my
knowledge in Community Medicine. You can also proceed for a Masters degree and specialise in that field
like I am doing with the Fellowship programme.
Most importantly, you have to be focused and
know where you want to go, how far you want to go,
how much you want to get out of your career and where
you want to take it. I am looking at taking it to the pinnacle,
which is why I am pursuing so many things. .

Why did you venture into Medicine as a profession?

Inspiration to study medicine first came from my

dad because he was a doctor and a gynecologist; that
sparked my interest in becoming a medical doctor myself. Taking part in the national beauty pageant, and the
Miss World and Miss Universe pageant, I also learnt and
became motivated to take on the charity angle I learnt
www.actionhealthinc.org

that you could do so much with your voice and your

status and being a beautiful woman can be a stepping
stone for you to do so many good things.

Can you share your journey into

the beauty pageant?

Beauty is more of an intelligence thing mixed with the

physical beauty. You cannot really take part and excel in
the beauty pageants if you have only the physical beauty in this day and age. So with the intelligence mingled
with the beauty, the carriage, which are things you can
be trained to project and have, you can then venture
into beauty pageants. It started when my sister brought
the forms home and I was the only one who was free
at that point, everyone else was getting ready for one
thing or the other. It was just for the experience then it
all happened so fast. It wasnt a planned career. It happened and I just went with it. I won the national Most
Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant (MBGN 2000) and I
had the opportunity to go for the Miss World and Miss
Universe pageants. The experience was really interesting- I got to make friends internationally and learnt
many social skills. It was quite enlightening.

What do you find challenging about your job?

Every day is a challenge. Nigeria itself is a challenge, so

many things dont work so one just has to find a way to
make things work, you have to keep pushing. From giving the awareness, whether it is online, on radio or television, through flyers, there are challenges throughout:
financial challenges, challenges of distributions, challenges of training people who want to speak on behalf
of the project because one cant do everything. Then
the screening challenges, getting the materials, finding
the people to screen and convincing them, treatment

challenges etc, I can go on and on. But basically, that

of funding, duplicated efforts among all the bodies that
are championing the same course and finding ways of
working together with these bodies so one can use fewer resources and get core results.

What do you find exciting about your job?

If it wasnt exciting, I wouldnt be doing it. The challenges, the scope of the work, the enormity of the work
that has to be done and then the little battles that I win
along the way excites me. Sometimes I wonder about
how I could achieve much with little resources and
then I get help from the most unexpected places. And
then it makes it easy for me to achieve what I set out
to achieve, that itself is exciting! The women that get
the education, the thanks I get back. So, everyday has a
different kind of excitement that comes with.
What are your achievements so far and
what gives you fulfillment?

I have received a few honorary awards, one on the fight

against cancer from Pink Pearl Foundation and the
Youth Role Model award from African Youth Society.
Those were achievements but the fulfilling part is when
you impact someone positively; like diagnosing a patient in the pre-cancer stage, providing treatment and
knowing you have helped with preventing one woman
from coming down with cervical cancer, which is a debilitating and horrible disease - that is really fulfilling.
A word of advice for young people

Just be brave and bold. Be yourself and enjoy what you

do. Thats the only way you can put 100% into it. Even
when it looks impossible, keep working at it.

Matilda Kerry Former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN 2000) and Medical Doctor

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015

Can I Decide My Future?

t is interesting to know that everyone has a future,

but what we do today and how we plan towards our
future is what will determine how successful we will
be in it. When we are faced with certain challenges,
should we quit trying? What do we even want to be in
future? What are our plans towards it? Why do we think

some people dont make it in life? Who is that role model

that we cherish and want to be like?

These are questions that young people like us bother

about. Lets get motivated by what some of us have to
say about these questions.

Igbozurike Jennifer,

want to be a journalist in the future. I love reading, watching the news

and writing articles. I am in SS2. I understand that if I lack passion for
what I get to study in the University, I may not perform so well, so I
am sure about wanting to be a Journalist in the future. I sometimes write
for my church and read the gospel during mass. My plan is to pass all my
core subjects very well so that I can apply for admission in the University. Tisan Bako of Ray Power, Lagos; is my favourite presenter, and is
somebody I want to be like.

16 years old

016

16 years Old

am in SS3. I want to be a Medical Doctor in future, not just because

I have to go to school and study a course, but because I have this
passion to save lives. I have had to double up with my studies so
that I can do very well in my WAEC exams. I believe the future starts
now, so I try to encourage myself at every step. I also get involved
in quiz competitions to help me academically. I try not to give up
just like Thomas Edison who never gave up in his time, because this
is one reason some people dont make it. Dr. Ben Carson is my role
model, and I want to be great like him, and save many lives.

Alabi Qudus,

15 years old

Ajayi Josephine,

y friends sometimes call me SAN, and that is because of what they

see me do. I love debating, settling disputes among my friends
and writing. I am in SS2. I want to be a lawyer in future. I have
taken cognisance of the core subjects I need to have passed, to apply for
admission in the University to study Law. I am studying hard now so that
I can be sure of that future. Sometimes I get to ask the Lawyers I know
around me, certain law related questions, because lack of right and useful
information have made some people go astray in the future. My role model is Aloma Mukhtar, the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

September 2014

www.actionhealthinc.org

15 years old

Michael Grace,

could get bored doing any other thing, but not calculating. I am in
JSS3 and want to be an accountant in the future. I love my mathematics and my business studies. I know that when I get to SS1, my
core subjects to qualify me to study accountancy would be very interesting to me. I enjoy going for competitions like the Brighter Rewarding Future quiz competition. I could be scared sometimes, but I know I
have to keep studying hard, so that I dont end up like some that didnt
make it. I believe money is not everything, so if finance tries to pose as
a problem, it can be looked into objectively. I want to be like my elder
brother James Michael, who is a practicing accountant.

15 years old

Ogunberu Sunday,

feel happy when I see doctors knowing that I will be one someday. I
enjoy watching movies that has to do with a doctor saving lives. I have
read Ben Carsons books of how he made it. I have watched documentaries of him saving lives. I am in JSS3, and pay attention a lot when I am
in class, because I know my future begins with what I do today. When I
had the opportunity of shaking the Governor of Lagos State, at the plantation of trees event, I went home with a greater determination to always
study hard. Dr. Ben Carson is my role model. And I believe anybody can
make it in life, just plan well.

A word, they say is enough for the wise.

YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US!

What do you like most about Growing Up magazine? What else will you like to see? Kindly send us
your opinion, questions, poems, stories and experiences you will like to share with other Growing Up
readers!
Connect with us on our website, Facebook and twitter for
news, events and of course more information about your
health and wellbeing.
GrowingUp Magazine online: www.growingupmag.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actionhealthinc
Twitter: @actionhealthinc
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/actionhealthinc
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/actionhealthincng
Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/asocialnet
Website: www.actionhealthinc.org

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September 2014

017

Action Health Incorporated (AHI) is on-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion of youth health and
development. Our oce is located in Jibowu-Yaba area of
Lagos Mainland.

Participants in the upcoing programme will have the

opportunity to work at AHI from December 2014 - December 2015 and certicates will be issued to them on successful completition of the programme.

We are pleased to call for applications to our annual Youth

Skills Development Programme. This is a salaried one-year
internship programme that engages fresh secondary school
leavers aged 16 to 19 years, to serve as Youth Programme
Assistants within organization. The programme provides
them the opportunity to develop the core compentecies
and skills required for transition from adolescence to a
healthy and productive adoulthood with particular focus
on following competencies:

Requirements

* Seld Organisation and Time Menagement;

* Interpersonal Communication & Public Speaking;
* ICT Prociency and Oce Administration;
* Personal Health Management;
* Community Development Activities.

How
to
Apply

Eligible applicants should:

* Be between 16 to 19 years old;
* Have minimum of ve (5) O Level Credits including Mathematics and English Language in the SSCE or NECO;
* Demonstrate creativity and ability to use initiative;
* Be committed to woking full-time from December 2014 to
December 2015;
* Lives within close proximity of the Jibowu-Yaba area of
Lagos Mainland.

Interested applicants should apply online by visiting Action Health Incorporated's website
(www.actionhealthinc.org) and complete the provided application form or obtain a form at our ofce.
All applications must be received not later than 31 October, 2014. Short-listed candidates will be contacted by
email and mobile text messages therefore, applicants are advised to check their emails regularly. When called
upon, you will be required to come along with copies of your certicates and a reference letter from your school
principal.

ACTION HELATH INCORPORATION

17 Lawal Street, O Oweh Street, Jibowu, Lagos, Nigeria
Email: info@actionhealthinc.org
Website: http://www.actionhealthinc.org
Tel: 01-//43/45, 08123445837
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September 2014

www.actionhealthinc.org

.
WELL, NOW THAT
YOU ARE A TEENAGER,
WHAT ARE
YOUR PLANS FOR THE
FUTURE?

WHY SHOULD I
BOTHER ABOUT
THE FUTURE?
WHEN I GET THERE,
ILL KNOW WHAT TO
DO.

COME ON. THIS

IS THE BEST
TIME TO BEGIN
TO PLAN FOR
YOUR FUTURE.

1
YES. WHEN I WAS
YOUR AGE, I
ALREADY KNEW
WHAT I WANTED
IN LIFE.

FIRST I DID FOUR

THINGS. FIRST, I
SPENT TIME
THINKING ABOUT
WHO AND WHAT
I WANTED TO BE.
SECOND, I SOUGHT
MY PARENTS ADVICE
ON MY DREAMS.

HOW?

WONDERFUL!
AND WHAT
WAS THE
FOURTH?

5
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WHAT ELSE
DID YOU DO?

3
THIRD, I
DEVELOPED A
PLAN TO REACH
MY GOALS.

REALLY?

LASTLY, I SURROUNDED
MYSELF WITH PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO DO
THEIR BEST. THATS
WHY I HAVE FRIENDS
LIKE VERA, SIKIRA,
TONYE AND AHMED

D.D. ONU

6
September 2014

019

Your Sexuality Questions Answered:

10 Facts about Teenage Pregnancy

here are so many stories around sex and pregnancy that it is so hard to know what to believe.
Find out about the facts - its the best way to make
sure that you are safe rather than sorry.
1. Can you get pregnant the first time you have sex?

Yes, you can get pregnant the first time you have sex.
You may have heard that a girl cant get pregnant the
first time she has sex. The truth is, if a boy and a girl
have sex without using contraceptives, the girl can get
pregnant even if its her first time. A boy can get a girl
pregnant the first time he is having sex too.

If a girl has sex, she can get pregnant in as much as she

is ovulating (releasing eggs), this happens before you
have your period. You may also have heard the myth
that you need to have sex lots of times to get pregnant.
The truth is, you can get pregnant if you have sex once.
All it takes is for the sperm to meet the egg.
2. Can you get pregnant if a boy withdraws
(pulls out) before he ejaculates?

Yes, you can get pregnant if a boy withdraws (pulls out)

his penis before he ejaculates (releases). The truth is,
pulling out the penis will not stop a girl from getting
pregnant. Before a boy ejaculates, theres sperm in the
pre-ejaculatory fluid (pre-cum), which leaks out when
he gets excited. It only takes a sperm to get a girl pregnant. Pre-cum can also contain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so withdrawing the penis will not prevent you from getting an infection.
If a boy says he will be careful to withdraw before he
ejaculates, dont believe him because nobody can stop
himself from ejaculating sperm before it comes. You
must always use condom and other contraceptives to
protect yourself against STIs and unwanted pregnancy.
3. Is it possible for a girl to get pregnant
during non-penetrative sex?

Yes, even if the penis does not penetrate the vagina,

if semen or pre-ejaculate (pre-cum) comes in contact
with the opening of the vagina or the vulva, the sperm
may survive and travel up the vaginal canal, through
the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes. If a girl is ovulating (releasing egg), or about to ovulate, there is a possibility that the sperm can fertilize an egg in the fallopian
tubes, resulting in pregnancy.

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January 2014

4. Can you get pregnant if you have sex

during your period?
Yes, you can get pregnant if you have sex during your
period. It is a myth that a girl cant get pregnant if she
has sex during her period. The truth is, she can get
pregnant at any time of the month if she has sex without contraception. This is possible because of the life
cycle of the sperm and egg cells. In a womans body, the
egg cell can live for about 24 hours after it has been released from the ovary (this is called ovulation). On the
other hand, sperm can live for five to seven days inside
the females body, particularly in the presence of fertile
cervical fluid (this looks like egg-white). Sometimes,
fertile cervical fluid can be present towards the end of
her period. Since sperm can live up to seven days in this
fluid, it is possible for a woman to get pregnant if she
ovulates within that time frame.
5. Can you get pregnant if you have sex standing up?

Yes, you can get pregnant if you have sex standing up.
It is a myth that a girl cant get pregnant if she has sex
standing up, sitting down, or if she jumps up and down
afterwards. The truth is, theres no such thing as a safe
position if youre having sex without a condom or any
other form of contraception. There are also no safe
places to have sex; pregnancy can happen whatever position you do it in, and wherever you do it. All that is
needed is for a sperm to meet an egg.
6. Can a girl get pregnant from oral sex?

No, a girl cant get pregnant by having oral sex, even if

she swallows sperm. However, one can definitely contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through
oral sex, like gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes etc. Its safer
to use a condom on a penis, and a dam (a very thin, soft
rubber square that acts as a barrier) over the female
genitals if you have oral sex.
7. Can you use nylon wrapper as a condom?

No, you cant use a nylon wrapper or rubber bag or anything else instead of a condom. They wont work. Only
a condom can protect against STIs. Also, dont believe
anyone who says that you can wash condoms and use
them again. The truth is, you cant use a condom more
than once because it is very likely to break or fail.
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8. Can a girl still have her period and be pregnant?

After a girl is pregnant, she no longer gets her period.
But girls who are pregnant can have other bleeding
that might look like a period. For example, there can be
a small amount of bleeding when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Its called implantation bleeding.
It usually happens around the same time a girl would
normally get her period.
9. How does a girl know when shes pregnant?

The most common signs of pregnancy are: missed or

unusually short menstrual periods; unusually thick
vaginal discharge that is not foul smelling; thickening of
the waist without significant weight gain; mood swings
or tiredness/ fatigue; headaches or nausea unrelated
to illness; sudden vomiting spells that come on and go
away quickly, and/or unrelenting waves of vomiting unrelated to illness; very sore or painfully tender breasts.
However, it is important to know that pregnancy symptoms vary in individuals and as such a person can present with one or more of the above symptoms. The surest and best way to determine if one is pregnant is to
take a pregnancy test.
10. Can taking mixtures like baking soda,
traditional herbal drinks (agbo), gin and
alabukun cause abortion?

An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it

is often called a Miscarriage. It can also be purposely
caused in which case it is known as an Induced abortion. Unfortunately, there are many claims that some
herbal preparations and various drinks can induce the
ending of a pregnancy even when the effectiveness of
any of these claims are extremely doubtful because
these substances cannot cause contraction of the uterus
which will force the fetus out or reduce the hormones
that promote growth of the fetus. However, taking these
substances certainly carry very negative side effects
from the toxicity they can cause and many young women lose their lives every day to such unsafe practices.
Together we can stop rape in our own way if we desist
from believing these myths and encourage others not
to believe them too. Remember that no one ever asks
to be raped because it is a traumatic and devastating
experience.
For more information:
If you have other questions and want to talk to
someone in confidence, you can call the AHI Youth
Clinic on Tel: 0812-344-5837 or send an email to:
info@actionhealthinc.org

References:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Sexandyoungpeople/
Pages/Sexmythsbusted.aspx

No, this is not true. Abortion is the removal of pregnancy or forcing out from the womb a fetus or embryo before it has obtained the ability to survive on its own.

Need Help? Visit The Youth Clinic At AHI

Are you between the ages of 10 and 21 years?
Are you struggling with a health or relationship problem?
Have you been sexually abused/raped and dont know what to do?
Are you worried about getting pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted infections like HIV?
Send a text message, email, give us a call or
visit our centre!
Address:
17 Lawal Street, Off Oweh
Street, Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos
Telephone: 0812-344-5837
Email:
info@actionhealthinc.org
Website:
www.actionhealthinc.org
Hours of operation:
Monday Friday:
8:00am 5:00pm
Saturday:
9:00am 1:00pm
CONFIDENTIALITY IS GUARANTEED

www.actionhealthinc.org

September 2014

021

Young Achiever
Alexander EzenaguExcelling beyond being
One-day Governor

By the time he got to SS3, he was pronounced the best

student in his school, and was selected to represent the
school at the regional qualifiers of the 2004 Spelling
Bee Competition organized by the New Era Foundation, a project of the former First Lady of Lagos State,
Senator Oluremi Tinubu. He won and then had to represent Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area at the State
challenge, where he contested against 56 others and
came third position in the contest. Although he was not
the overall winner, his position still got him on to the
Council of One Day Governors

lexander Ezenagu lived in a one-room boys

quarter with his parents and eight siblings. His
parents could barely cater for all of them, so four
of his siblings dropped out of school almost at the same
time. To keep himself in school at Bolade Grammar
School, Oshodi and buy the books he needed in school,
he had to hawk petty items, wash cars and clothes, carry luggage and run errands to earn money.

Alex confesses that he had not always been so committed to his school work and remembers an occasion
while in primary six, when his class teacher called him
aside and scolded him strongly following his poor performance in an English dictation test. It was obvious he
was letting too much play and other distractions get in
the way of his performance in school. She recounted
that he used to do better while in primary four, chiding him to always remember that being the best wasnt
about wishing but working towards it. He recalls that
this experience was one of those times when he had to
consciously decide to devote more time to improving
his school work and commit to study every evening after running his daily errands.
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September 2014

In 2005, he was admitted into the University of Ibadan

to study law. It was an uphill struggle to survive in
school due to his familys financial hardship. In order
not to drop out of school at this stage, he began conducting extra tutorial classes in different courses for
both his classmates and other students, in exchange
for money. He graduated with a First Class honours in
2010. Impressed by his success, Senator Oluremi Tinubu led a high-profile delegation to celebrate his graduation. Although filled with joy, he was still very concerned that he might not make it to the next level of the
Law School because of the high cost of tuition for the
programme.
Surprisingly for Alex, his Law School bill was totally
paid by the organizer of the New Era Foundation and
his maintenance was covered by a scholarship scheme
established by the former chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, Hon. Afeez Ipesa-Balogun. Alex in
gratitude for this made himself a personal promise, not
to relent in his effort, but study as hard as he could.

In 2011, Alex did it again; he graduated with a First

Class at the Lagos Law School and was called to the
Nigerian Bar. His lifes journey had always been such
that he was hardly ever sure where the resources for
his next step would come from, but he always just got
himself prepared for the journey despite his situation.
In December 2011, at the third reunion luncheon of the
Council of One-Day Governors organised by the New
Era Foundation in Lagos, Alex being one of the past
governors by virtue of coming third at the spelling bee
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and Acquisition, Projects and Infrastructure, and International Tax Law.

Despite the fact that Alex was from a family that could
not support his education, he did all he could to make
the best of his situation and did not allow his background determine his fate. Paying attention to his academic work meant that he was prepared when the
opportunity was presented to take part in the spelling
competition which he won and the subsequent scholarship opportunities that he has benefited from thus far.

competition, got a car gift from Senator Oluremi Tinubu, which was presented to him by Mrs Fashola. He also
got to work at the law offices of Banwo and Ighodalo,
a leading Nigerian law firm; where he was an integral
member of the Finance, Projects and Infrastructure
team and has been involved in local and cross-border
legal advisory services.
Subsequently, he was admitted into the University of
Cambridge for his Masters degree in 2013, on scholarship and in June 2014 he was presented with his Masters of Law degree by the president of the University of
Cambridge. He currently works with a Law firm called
Templars. He has extensive experience advising in the
areas of project finance, structured finance, corporate
finance and securities law. His areas of expertise include Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Mergers

www.actionhealthinc.org

Alex is under 30 years old and he believes that there

is so much more that God has for him to achieve. One
of the ways he is giving back to society is with mentoring younger people. He believes that prayers matched
with proper preparation is what keeps one in line for
appropriate opportunities. He actively shares his story and journey so far with young people to motivate
them for success. He is also partnering with some of his
colleagues in the United Kingdom to establish an organization called The Excellence Movement, to spread
the message of excellence in Nigerian Universities. The
primary areas of focus of the organization include: research, writing, reading, scholarship and mentoring.
In Alexander Ezenagus words, Start from somewhere
and start now!!! Start from that homework, that subject, that course, that class, that school, then get up to
being the best even in that state and the sky will never
be your limit.

September 2014

023

Life Skills to Acquire:

Increasing Your Self-Esteem

ts time to appreciate yourself! You are unique and special. You have your own talents and skills, your own
appearance, and your own experiences. We all want to
be accepted, and we all want to accept ourselves for who
we are. So, we need to learn who we are our identities,
our values, our personal strengths and weaknesses. That
may sound simple. But it can feel confusing during adolescence, since adolescence is a time when you may feel that
who you are is constantly changing or evolving.

What is Self-Esteem?

Self-esteem refers to how you feel about yourself. Self-esteem is not an unchanging characteristic of a person. We
all go through times when we value ourselves highly and
we all experience periods of self-doubt. Our self-esteem
changes at different points in our lives.

Your self-esteem affects the way you behave and the decisions you make. In turn, the decisions you make and your
behaviour can positively or negatively affect your self-esteem. So its important to get a good cycle going: knowing yourself, valuing yourself, making good decisions, and
feeling good about yourself. Lets start now
024

September 2014

The key to feeling good about yourself is to know yourself. This means you need to recognize your strengths and
positive qualities as well as your weaknesses (including
those you have to live with and those you might be able to
change). Growing up with healthy self-esteem helps us to
be accepted by others and to achieve our goals.

People often refer to high or low self-esteem. High

self-esteem means that you value yourself. It means you
recognize your own strengths, weaknesses, and skills.
People with high self-esteem acknowledge their successes
and achievements, respond confidently to challenges, and
practice positive thinking. When you have high self-esteem, you are generally satisfied with who you are and
what you are doing with your life.

Low self-esteem means that you have negative feelings

about yourself or doubt your own self-worth. People with
low self-esteem feel inadequate, helpless, inferior and
unable to improve their life situations. Of course, overall
self-esteem is often a mix of traits you value and qualities
you dont like as much. So it is helpful to think of self-esteem on a spectrum, or a range, which can change over
time. Make a list of 5-6 of your strong qualities.
Are you:
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Honest?
Reliable?
Loyal?
Polite?
Hardworking?
Patient?
A good friend?
Good with children?
Intelligent?
Sensitive to others feelings?
A good teammate?
Respectful to elders?
Do you have a talent for sports, science, drawing, dancing,
singing, or anything else? Do you have courage, creativity
or a strong spiritual sense? Are you generous or do you
have a great smile?
After you make your own list, put a star next to a quality
that you are especially proud of, or that you think others
recognize in you.

Now make a list of 2-3 of your weaknesses. Be honest,

and remember that we all have weaknesses. You can put
a check-mark (x) next to the weakness that you want to
change.

External Factors that Influence Self Esteem

Individuals begin to develop a sense of self-esteem when

they are very young. Children who are brought up with
love, warmth, and provided supportive feedback in the
family are more likely to be more self-accepting. Children
who receive consistent counsel from parents feel more
confident about how to behave.
As we grow up and interact with a wider range of people,
other peoples attitudes and behaviours can also affect
our self-esteem. For example:

A boy who grows up in a family that is loving and supportive but lacks economic resources may have high
self-esteem. But when he goes to school he may be teased
about his clothes or where he lives.
A girl who is respected and cherished in her family may
grow up to encounter people who treat her as inferior to
boys.
A self-respecting child who lives with a physical challenge may face rejection when she or he begins to interact
with the wider community.
Self-confident children from one culture can grow up to
learn that someone from a more privileged group views
them as inferior.
In other words, a persons self-image is not determined
by wealth, gender, physical abilities, or culture. Rather, it
is determined by the way other people respond to the said
individual based on these characteristics. Often, people
respond to others based on socially learned norms that
reflect the society in which they live.

These social attitudes are reinforced by the media. For

example, the media (magazines, television, the Internet)
help to form our ideas of what is beautiful, important,
powerful, or acceptable in society. If we fit that description, we may feel accepted and thus, confident. If we dont
fit that description, we may feel inferior and even worthless.

Your self-esteem may be affected by other people, but in

the end, you have the most influence. Many people who
grow up in difficult circumstances or face unfair discrimination still value themselves. Dont let anyone take away
your self-respect.
There are many ways to enhance your self-esteem.

Accept yourself the way you are. Do not compare yourself to someone else. You are you.
Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Set realistic goals for yourself. Not aiming for anything
can make you feel disappointed in yourself. (But feeling
like you have to achieve something very difficult and enormous can lead to feelings of failure not good for self-esteem!).
Identify your values and let them guide your behaviour.
Develop your abilities and be proud of them. You deserve it!
Cultivate positive relationships and avoid relationships
where you do not feel appreciated for who you are.
Ask for help if you are in a relationship that makes you
feel very bad about yourself.
Select good role models.

If you believe in yourself, chances are that you will put in

more effort and be willing to try new things. This means
youll be more likely to discover and develop your natural talents and abilities. Accepting and respecting yourself
will also attract acceptance and respect from others. Hurray for feeling valued and special! (And for valuing others
for their good qualities, too!)
Low self-esteem makes us less able to assert ourselves
or defend our values and beliefs. As a result, other peoples values may be forced on us. Youve heard about peer
pressure, right? People who lack self-esteem also tend to
be unwilling to take responsibility for their actions. They
tend to blame others for their failures and make excuses.

Increasing Your Self-Esteem

Here are four ways you can gradually gain confidence and
self-regard:

1. Know yourself: Go back to the list of qualities you wrote

about yourself earlier in this article. Take pride in your
strengths and positive values.
2. Act like yourself: Take action based on the values you
have set for yourself. Explore your interests and develop
your abilities. Set achievable goals. Take pride in yourself
and present your best self.
3. Connect to others: Cultivate positive relationships.
Sometimes helping others reminds us that we are needed and valued. Select role models whom you trust and respect. Seek help when it is needed.
4. Be patient and optimistic: Give yourself time to gradually grow into the type of person you want to be. Do not
compare yourself to someone else. You are you, and that
is pretty amazing.
This article is adapted from Action Health Incorporateds
publication Family Life and HIV Education Students
Handbook for Junior Secondary Schools

Internal Factors Affecting Self Esteem

www.actionhealthinc.org

September 2014

025

Planning For The Future

By Rhoda Robinson, Director HACEYs Health Initiative

famous President of the United States of America,

Benjamin Franklin once said If you fail to plan,
you are planning to fail! As old as this adage may
be, the truth contained therein remains valid. Young
people have lots of dreams, passions, strength, opportunities and time to make a meaning of their lives, but
success is not accidental it has to be planned for. Globalization, together with its uniqueness and challenges
add to the chances and struggles faced by most young
people today; hence the importance of proper planning
and guidance.
However, as much as it is necessary for the society to
provide an enabling environment for young people to
grow and be protected, it is also expedient that young
people take responsibility for their future. Education,
off course, is perhaps the most important means to prepare and be equipped for a desired future. Education
is defined as the wealth of knowledge acquired by an
individual after studying particular subject matters or
experiencing life lessons that provide an understanding
of something. As young people, planning for your future
now means getting a kind of education that empowers
you to make good and healthy decisions always.
There are lots of activities and desires that you can engage in that can terminate or reduce the chances of a
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September 2014

successful life in the future such as unintended pregnancies and abortion, drugs and unhealthy addictions, bad
company and cultism, and so on. Leadership and entrepreneurial skill development are also essential part of
any education that leads to an empowered youth, so it is
important for young people to learn and practice leadership skills in preparation for their future.
At HACEY, one of the ways we help young people plan
and prepare for their future is by contributing to leadership development at the grassroots through various
training and leadership development programs targeted at young people in secondary schools in Lagos. Recently, HACEY partnered with IamaCHAMP Ltd, to train
about 300 young school students in public schools in
Yaba and Bariga communities of Lagos. The training
equipped young boys and girls with skills such as communication, goal setting, self-awareness, as well as sexual and reproductive health knowledge to enable them
lead healthy and socially responsible lives.

As young people, always remember, that your personal

development is your responsibility and you have a right
to good quality education from the society as you prepare for your future.
www.actionhealthinc.org

Simple Tips To Overcome Body Odour

ody odour, also known as bromhidrosis, is the unpleasant smell that occurs
from a sweaty or unclean person. The
sweat itself doesnt smell but the unpleasant
odour is produced by bacteria on the skin
that break down the sweat into acids.

Body Odour is usually associated with the

armpit but bacteria can also produce odour
in the groin, anus area, mouth, upper thighs
and feet among others. Offensive body odour
is an embarrassing problem.
Body Odour affects both men and women. It
usually becomes evident in females age 1416 and in males aged 15-17 years respectively, because the body experiences physical
changes (Puberty).
CAUSES OF BODY ODOUR

Sweat: Our body has two sweat glands which are Eccrine and Apocrine. The Eccrine produces sweat that is
responsible for cooling the body system and is in most
parts of the body but is much smaller than the Apocrine.
The Apocrine is mainly underneath the armpits, groin
and around the eyelids. The Apocrine is dominant in the
body and secretes sweat that is thicker; and contains
much of what bacteria feeds on. As the bacteria breaks
down, different odour compounds are produced.
Poor hygiene: Not bathing properly, brushing properly, wearing damp socks and underwear, repeating
clothes or underwear without washing them properly
or not even washing them at all can cause body Odour.

Food: It is common knowledge that eating a diet

heavy in onions and garlics can make the mouth have
an offensive odour. They cleanse the body. But foods
that smell, are broken down to compounds that would
smell and circulate in the blood stream and come out
either through your breath, sweat or urine.

Genetic disorder: Trimethylaminuria is an uncommon genetic disorder. It is described as smelling like

rotten fish, rotten egg, garbage or urine. It causes people with the disorder to give off a strong unpleasant
odour in their sweat, urine and breath.
TIPS TO REDUCE BODY ODOUR

Taking a shower at least once a day is a good way to

start reducing body odour. Bathing reduces the bactewww.actionhealthinc.org

ria on the body surface, dead cells and toxins. It is very

important to wash every part of the body. Bathing also
reduces tension so its like killing two birds with one
stone. Antibacterial Soap will help reduce body odour.
Learn to keep yourself clean.
It is important to clean the body with a clean towel after taking a bath and ensure that you keep areas where
you sweat a lot dry. If you keep your skin dry, its harder
for bacterium that causes body odour to breed.

Also make sure you wash your clothes and underwear

properly and leave them in the sun to dry before you
wear them again. Fresh clothes help reduce body odour.
Endeavour to keep your wardrobe clean.
Application of deodorants under the arm twice a day,
once in the morning and once in the evening would
help reduce body odour.

Wear more of clothing from natural fiber such as silk

and cotton. They allow airflow and keep your skin dryer.
Shave your under arm hair regularly. It helps to prevent accumulation of bacteria and reduce odour

For men, change your socks as often as possible to

avoid foot odour. Also, you can make use of deodorant
powders in your shoe.
Maintaining a balanced diet also helps in reducing
body odour. Balancing your diet is also important for
your overall wellbeing.
September 2014

027

The Fault In Our Stars (Rated: PG15)

The Fault in Our Stars is a 2014 film directed by Josh Boone, based on the novel with the same
title by John Green. The film stars Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Nat Wolff, with Laura
Dern, Sam Trammell, and Willem Dafoe in supporting roles. Shailene Woodley plays Hazel
Grace Lancaster, a sixteen-year-old with terminal thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs.
She is forced by her parents to attend a support group, where she meets and falls in love with
Augustus Waters, portrayed by Ansel Elgort, who suffers from osteosarcoma, which has led
to the amputation of his leg. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazels
other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg. This is a
movie worth watching for those who always hope for brighter days.

Firelights (Rated: 13+)

Firelights is a drama directed by Darnell Martin. It features actors like Cuba Gooding Jr. and
QOrianka Kilcher. It is a movie that explores the possibility for a new lease on life.

It centers on a group of girls confined to a detention center. The inmates are racially diverse
and realistic without being scary and/or sexualized as is typical for women in prison movies. The movie encourages understanding and compassion for those whose lives have taken
a wrong turn. Along with all of the things portrayed from the harder side of life, we also see
courage, hope, loyalty, caring, forgiveness and renewal. You see the despair lift as these young
women begin to believe in themselves and become accountable for what they make out of
their own lives. It also contains inspiring messages about being responsible and getting second chances.

Half Of A Yellow Sun (Rated: 15+)

If you have not read the book by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the movie is a must watch. It
features great Hollywood and Nollywood stars with a plot set during the mid-to-late sixties,
when twin sisters Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Anika Noni Rose) return to Nigeria after their education in England, they make decisions that shock their family. Olanna
moves in with her lover, the revolutionary professor Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his
houseboy Ugwu (John Boyega) while Kainene takes over the family interests and pursues a
career as a businesswoman, falling in love with Richard (Joseph Mawle), an English writer. As
the Igbo people struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic, the sisters become
caught up in the shocking violence of the Nigerian Civil War and a betrayal that threatens
their family forever.

Girls Rising (Rated: PG-13)

Girl Rising is an informative, educational documentary about the lives of impoverished girls
living in countries where education for girls isnt a priority. Directed by Oscar-nominated
documentarian Richard Robbins (Operation Homecoming) and narrated by A-list stars including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Selena Gomez, the film explores the dangerous
inequalities that girls and young women face in parts of the world. Some of the segments deal
with intense and disturbing topics including slavery, child marriage, rape, and human trafficking. There are matter-of-fact discussions of these issues and it is a powerful documentary
that explains why all girls need an education... - Review by Common Sense Media
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September 2014

www.actionhealthinc.org

www.actionhealthinc.org

September 2014

029

Jokes

ITS PUZZLE TIME:

FIND THE GOAL SETTING WORDS
By Olufemi Omotayo

O T

T C B O

P G

S M A R

U P

L H T

T G B

B O E

R D H G U

E H A

A R

M U T

A C

F M A

L D

C B

L O G B

R H

E M
I

T O T A

E O F

A H U O G P

C B

C Y

E O U V B V T

C U R D A D T O V H L

U Y M V G Y

Y C

C U R

L D A D E

V D F H E U A O C U O U

L D T

Y C T

U G H C U G R

E U R

S M F

H C D L
A

C O D M A

P O B

Y V U C

E N T H U

O C H G
A

A T

A
I

E
E

ACHIEVABLE,
SMART,
MEASURABLE,
REALISTIC,
OPTIMISTIC,

L
A

VALUES,
BELIEVE,
ENTHUSIASTIC,
GOAL BOARD,
CLARIFY

A tenant walked in and saw his landlords son

trying to commit suicide, and a brief conversation ensued.

Tenant: *shocked* what are you doing?

Landlords son: I am trying to commit suicide.
Tenant: That is not a good thing to do. But why is the
rope tied on your waist?
Landlords son: It is not easy at all, I tied the rope on
my neck before, and I nearly died.
During an exam, a student kept looking under the table, and then he would write on
the answer sheet. His teacher saw him doing
that and thought that he was copying from a sheet.
When collecting the exam paper after the exam, the
following conversation ensued.

Teacher: I am going to deduct 10 marks from your

scores.
Student: Haaa!! Why sir?
Teacher: For cheating during the exam.
Student: Why do you think I was cheating?
Teacher: I saw you looking under the table.
Student: *laughing* I was not copying sir, Question
9 said STUDY THE TABLE BELOW.

This brief conversation ensued in Juniors

school.

Answers to

Papa Junior: You sent my son away from school for

not doing well, why?

1. TRUE 2. 78% 3. 26 4. TRUE

5. EYE 6. JASON 7. 1 LITRE

Juniors Teacher: He is not serious at all, he cant even

spell a simple word like LION.

Can you guess?

Papa Junior: Haha! How could you have asked a

small boy like Junior to spell a whole LION, when
there are small animals like MOSQUITO.
030

September 2014

www.actionhealthinc.org

COPIES NOW AVAILABLE

contact

hehandbook@actionhealthinc.org
info@actionhealthinc.org
0812-344-5837

www.actionhealthinc.org

17 Lawal Street, O Oweh Street,

Jibowu- Yaba, Lagos
031
September 2014
Website: www.actionhealthinc.org

Resources

Haf A Loaf And A Bakery

By Jennifer Ehidiamen
In the present age of information overload where youths can easily get confused about how to chart their future path, Half a Loaf and A Bakery provides tested practical survival ideas for young people to make the best of
whatever situation they find themselves.
Divided into five sections, Half a Loaf and a Bakery covers critical issues
every youth should have a clear understanding of such as challenges of getting started and survival strategies, money matters and overcoming fears
that can easily abort ones dreams if not properly addressed.

Wise And Witty Adolescent

By Ajoke Gbeleyi and Oluwatomilayo Gbeleyi

Whether you are a student in secondary school or on your way to higher

institution and want to live a life filled with a sense of purpose or want to
learn how to make smart decisions about the things that are important to
you, this book is for you.
This book focuses on issues affecting young people ranging from sexuality,
leadership, vulnerability, accountability and wellbeing of an adolescent. It
gives advice on becoming a wise and witty adolescent.

Secrets
By Yetunde Lawal

Everyone has secrets that they dont want anyone to find out. This intriguing novel revolves around adolescent sexuality, premarital sex, unwanted
pregnancy and abortion which are issues faced by young people. The author draws attention to the need for teenagers to understand the very contemporary issue of adolescent sexuality and the menace of teenage pregnancy.

To read these books and many more, visit The Library @

Action Health Incorporated, 17, Lawal street off Oweh, Jibowu Yaba Lagos