Segment 1

TITLE

Love and Life: Live on Air

RADIO HOST

Hey yo, what's up guys? This is the Straight Talk radio show. It is fun, educative and hilarious. Stay tuned.

RADIO CALLER 1

Dear Straight Talk radio: If I put toothpaste on my penis before sex, will my girlfriend get pregnant?

RADIO CALLER 2

Dear Straight Talk: I've missed my period for two months. Am I pregnant?

VOICEOVER

Uganda, in east Africa, has many problems relating to sexual and reproductive health. In lots of cases, young people's lack of sex education is to blame.

MAN 1

Is it true that if you drink a lot soda and have sex with an HIV-infected person, you cannot get the virus?

VOICEOVER

Doreen is 20 and works for Straight Talk as a radio journalist. Her job is reporting on sex and relationship issues, although she's never slept with anyone herself.

DOREEN [Radio journalist, Straight Talk]

These are letters from my listeners. They write in telling me their stories, sometimes they have questions about relationships, about sex. You can see this one, it says: "I had my fellow student who I used to sit with and she was beautiful and attractive. After sex I started feeling a lot of pain on the fore part of my penis." Straight talk is an organization whose mission is to give information to adolescents so that they can be able to make informed decisions about reproductive health. I did different interviews with different people. This is from someone called [inaudible] telling me the first time she had sex.

VOICEOVER

Doreen and her producer Charity are working on their next show, and their theme is of particular interest to Doreen: having sex for the first time.

CHARITY [Radio producer, Straight Talk]

What do you imagine about first time sex?

DOREEN

Lots of things.

CHARITY

Like what?

DOREEN

I'm still scared about sex.

CHARITY

No, don't get scared. I know you're scared, but time will come. I thought about sex, but time came when freely from my heart I said, "I think I should have it." So if you're scared, don't do it.

DOREEN

What is the truth about the first time to have sex?

VOICEOVER

Doreen sets off around Kampala interviewing young people about their first sexual experience.

RADIO CALLER 1

Dear Straight Talk radio: I am a 14-year-old boy at secondary school. I always feel like having sex. I want to have sex with somebody. Am I too young?

RADIO CALLER 2

Dear Straight Talk: I have a boyfriend. He wants "live" sex. And for me, I want to use a condom. Since I don't know his status, what should I do since I love him?

VOICEOVER

She's arranged to interview Jackie about her first time.

JACKIE

The way I lost my virginity actually changed my life. It was pressure that led me to lose my virginity. The pressure that I had because I thought it was real love.

DOREEN

So you guys met, and you get into a relationship with him, and then...

JACKIE

Because I loved him, I decided to give in for him. Giving in, actually I thought that things were gonna be more better. Unfortunately things were worse. And I got pregnant, he ran away.

VOICEOVER

Jackie gave birth to a boy. But her troubles weren't over.

JACKIE

When my child died...

DOREEN

How old was he when he passed away?

JACKIE

He was 11 months. When he died I decided to go and have an HIV test and it was bad for me.

DOREEN

Jackie, What made you think of taking an HIV test after your child's death?

JACKIE

Well, I was not myself. I used to feel sick. My dad told me, "Why don't you go for an HIV test?"

DOREEN

Did you use a condom in your first relationship, or the first time you had sex?

JACKIE

No. I didn't use a condom in my first relationship.

DOREEN

How different do you think it would have been if you had used it?

JACKIE

I think it would have been safe. I wouldn't have got pregnant, I think even the virus. Because you know, a condom protects you from various things.

RADIO HOST

Don't go anywhere. Be here or nowhere. Stay tuned.

RADIO CALLER 1

Dear Straight Talk: my boyfriend asks sex all the time. What can I do to stop him?

RADIO CALLER 2

Dear Straight Talk: is it true that if you have sex once, you do not get pregnant?

DOREEN

I'm going to Marie Stopes to see someone that can talk to me about how to prepare for having safe sex for the first time, yeah.

SIGN

Marie Stopes Uganda, Namuwongo Health Centre.

DOREEN

I work with Straight Talk Foundation; I'm a journalist for young people. And I'm trying to do different interviews about having sex for the first time.

BEATRICE NYAMAIZI [Family planning nurse]

That's very good, because we get so many younger girls who come in for advises, they come in to ask what they should do.

DOREEN

How do I make sure that I am safe as a young girl?

BEATRICE NYAMAIZI

Think about family planning. Family planning they solve their various issues. But all in all, family planning doesn't protect you from AIDS or STDs. So you should ask about condom use until when you have decided that you want to get children.

DOREEN

And then something else you were talking about, inserting the implants and the coil. Would you do that for me as student? 



BEATRICE NYAMAIZI

Yes, of course. It's not for only married people. Even students. You may have sex and when you don't want to have pregnancy, so I can do it for you.

DOREEN

Thank you very much.

DOREEN

Well I really learned so much: the different family planning methods. I learned about the fact that even me -- a young girl, a student who isn't a married woman -- I can access the health facilities. And it's really fine; it's not the thing I always thought. I really realize that even if I chose to have sex now, I can be safe.

VOICEOVER

With her assignment finished, Doreen has everything she needs to make her show. And make a decision about her own love life. But tradition and religion will play an important part in whatever choice she makes. Tonight, she's celebrating her cousin's wedding with her family, and it's really got her thinking.

DOREEN

Right now I really feel like I ought to wait until marriage. I think it will be more exciting.

PATIENCE [Doreen's cousin]

Honestly, I think you do it with someone you love. I don't know if it's about marriage or whatever, I think it's about who you love.

DOREEN

Doing it with someone I love after marriage, that's my opinion. Honestly.

VOICE

Ah, yes, wonderful! Beautiful. Hug times one, hug times two, hug times three. Can you separate?

DOREEN

What is the truth about the first time you have sex? I have talked to quite a number of people about this and I have learned a lot. Everybody's story is unique. And they all have different perspectives about sex. But on the whole, I think that what is important is that you feel ready, that you feel secure, and that you have safe sex. This is Doreen broadcasting from Straight Talk studios in Kampala. Hope to be with you next week, same time, same station. Keep safe.