When Mandy Mpatlanyane, a medical doctor, and Khabonina Matsebula, a clinical associate, started working in the public health sector as young healthcare professionals, they identified a massive gap in adolescent health.
The pair co-founded, Ubusha Bami, and was later joined by Vanessa Mpatlanyane, a sociologist.
Very early on in their careers, it became quite apparent that there was a need in the system to cater to sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents specifically. This marked the beginning of their journey with Ubusha Bami in 2019.
Ubusha Bami is an organisation that focuses on sexual and reproductive health among adolescents, and all aspects that come with that.
Mandy explained, “We zoom in on education, empowerment and exposure through entertainment. That is our foundation. It matters to us that we create content and interventions that are age-appropriate, fact-based and resonant with the context and persons we work with, yet still accessible and fun.”
Matsebula said they focus specifically on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) as it is part and parcel of the human experience.
She said, “In fact, it is at the heart of keeping the human race from going extinct. It is that part of our lives that is broader than teenage pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. It also has a legal face which touches on consent and sexual violation and reproductive rights.”
The trio reach their audience through their media platforms, which all host different types of information in their varied forms.
“For the adults in their adolescent lives, we have an article series on our website which compliments the monthly podcast conversation with a SRH researcher or legal expert. It is one way that we translate what you’d find in an academic journal article or book, into something that the average parent can understand”, explained Vanessa.
On their social media they focus on the teens. They provide story times based on reflections from real medical issues they encounter in their work. They create TikTok’s that are short yet informative with advice, and lastly they provide workshops where they draw from their curriculum to create an educational, fun and informative experience.
According to Mandy, having the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions with regards to SRH can either make your life better or worse.
“We may not have control over all situations that make up our lives but we are not absolutely powerless over them. Our choices can either make our circumstances better or worse, in the short term and long term.”
Their desired outcome with the work they do is to see more young men and women take ownership over their lives.
“We want to see them fight for a quality life and really take anyone who stands between them and that to task. We hope our content inspires that as a life ethic and practice, especially regarding SRH choices”, added Vanessa.
Weekend Argus