Healthy Futures South Africa (HFSA), an initiative of the University of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation: Africa Health Collaborative, held a community-engagement event on Monday 8 September at the Louwville Community Hall in Vredenburg.
Stakeholders, non-profit organisations, schools and community members attended to discuss local health and social challenges.
The following issues were identified:
• STIs and HIV/TB: Ongoing concerns requiring improved sexual-health education, wider access to testing and treatment, and youth-led awareness campaigns.
• Teenage pregnancy and sexual-health education: A need for better reproductive-health education through schools, community health workers and youth information sessions.
• Substance abuse: Increasing use among youth, with possible interventions including rehabilitation support, mentorship and youth activities such as sports, arts and skills programmes.
• Gender-based violence (GBV): Reported as a significant problem requiring education, survivor-support networks and collaboration with NGOs, faith-based organisations and law enforcement.
• Youth unemployment and lack of opportunities: Calls for more pathways into employment, entrepreneurship, youth ambassador programmes and connections to community initiatives.
Organisers stated that the aim of the engagement was to identify key issues, map existing initiatives and explore collaboration among stakeholders to improve health and social outcomes in Vredenburg.
