{
  "id": 10951086,
  "title": "Sexual health programme in Ratanda reaches more than 120 Teen girls",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/sexual-health-programme-in-ratanda-reaches-more-than-120-teen-girls",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-30T13:43:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Health-e News",
    "slug": "health-e-news",
    "url": "https://health-e.org.za/2026/09/30/sexual-health-programme-in-ratanda-reaches-more-than-120-teen-girls/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A sexual health programme called Girls Act in Ratanda, Heidelberg, Gauteng, has reached more than 120 young girls since it began six years ago in 2020. The programme, funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation South Africa (AHF), educates girls about sexual and reproductive health, including contraception, HIV, and teenage pregnancy. It also provides academic guidance, career support, mentorship, and counselling to help participants develop practical and leadership skills.\n\nOne former participant, Palesa Tsotetsi, joined the programme in 2023 and has transformed from a shy girl to the deputy president of Girls Act. She credits the programme for teaching her leadership skills and encouraging her to take on leadership roles at her school. Another participant, 17-year-old Palesa Mosia, says the programme has helped her academically and has also improved her public speaking and advocacy skills.\n\nThe programme has also seen 19-year-old Mandisa Mahlaba gain confidence and take control of her life and body after joining at 14. A board member of AHF, Diana Hoorzuk, says the programme has led to major behavioural changes among participants, with no reported teen pregnancies since its inception. The programme also includes a Boys to Men club, which started in 2025 and has 30 participants in Ratanda. The club aims to involve boys in conversations and mentoring about gender-based violence, sexual health, and other challenges facing teen boys.",
  "summary": "Health-e News Sexual health programme in Ratanda reaches more than 120 Teen girls A programme educating young girls about sexual and reproductive health in Ratanda, Heidelberg has mentored more than 120 girls since its inception in Gauteng six years ago. Organisers say there have been no pregnancies among participants since the launch of the educational programme. Girls Act has been running since…",
  "key_points": [
    "Girls Act program in Ratanda reaches over 120 teen girls since 2020",
    "Funded by AIDS Healthcare Foundation South Africa (AHF)",
    "Provides sexual health education, academic guidance, and mentorship"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}