As young people grow up, especially through the period following puberty, they are confronted with important and sometimes life-changing decisions about relationships, sexual orientation and sexual behaviour. Some of these decisions can impact their health and determine the trajectory of their entire life. When there is an absence of guidance at that stage in their lives, the outcome can negatively impact their sexual and mental health and their general well-being. The My Question and Answer service is a confidential and non-judgmental service that tries to fill this vacuum by encouraging young people to ask questions and get answers around issues concerning their Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) for free using their mobile phones through call or text in a bid to improve access, enable them make informed health choices and reduce high-risk behaviour.
Here are 5 reasons why we love the “My Question and Answer” service.
1) You’ve got questions, we’ve got Answers
Young people can access counselling on topics within the sexual reproductive health spectrum such as puberty, menstrual health, relationship issues, abstinence, family planning, etc. Referrals can also be made for clients who may need youth-friendly SRH services in their states.
2) The best things in life are Free
A user can enjoy all that is offered by the My Question and Answer service through a variety of platforms for FREE. Young people can send their questions via an SMS to 38120 (Free on MTN and AIRTEL) or they can speak with a counsellor by calling our hotline on 0800MYQUESTION (08006978378466). Also, the platform can be reached on WhatsApp via 08027192781.
3) Three is a charm
The My Question & Answer service can also be accessed through three mobile applications; Diva, LinkUp and Frisky. LinkUp (Get here http://bit.ly/2nWVPuS) is a one-stop sexual reproductive health facility finder that connects young people to the closest youth friendly facility to them using their present location. The Diva App (Get here http://bit.ly/2I3BGMP) on the other hand is a menstrual tracker while through the Frisky App (Get here http://bit.ly/3kMQnCq), users can assess their sexual health risk using a unique feature that predicts how prone to getting an STI an individual may be. This prediction is made from the result of a quick quiz the user takes on the App. Within all three mobile applications, a user can speak to a My Question and Answer counsellor with a click of a button. As you may have guessed, all three Apps are free.
4) Youthful in nature, friendly in attitude
The service was designed with an understanding and respect for young people’s sexual and reproductive rights, aimed at bringing down barriers faced by young people in accessing high-quality sexual and reproductive health services. You definitely won’t experience any of the weirdness synonymous with “aunty nurse”. What you should expect is an honest, nonjudgmental, age-appropriate and confidential service delivery from our well trained counsellors.
5) All that’s shared on the My Question and My Answer service stays there
Confidentiality is our watchword, meaning; whatever you share with us will not be shared with anyone else. You will never be asked for your name, however, you may be asked for your location and age to ensure that the responses to your questions are personalized.
