​Despite the cold weather more than two hundred children flocked from Vumbuka Hostel and Basuthwini informal settlement to join the Social Development, Deputy Minister, Hendrietta Bogopane Zulu in the launch of teenager's programme called ChommY.
The event was held at Vosloorus Civic Centre in Ekurhuleni. It was attended by children who are between the age of ten and fourteen.
The launched programme , "You Only Live Once" (YOLO) cautions teenagers and young adults on the dangers of risky sexual behaviour.
Bogopane-Zulu said the programme gives children the opportunity to develop a personal plan for their lives and emphasises the importance of the support from parents and communities to enable young people to make informed decisions.
She also said the newly launched social and behavioural change programme will encourage children between the ages of ten and 14 years to minimise risky sexual behaviour,
"Last year, Stats SA released a shocking report which revealed that of the almost one million babies born in 2021, over 45,000 were teenage mothers.
One of the children known as *Phindi* from the hostel said she received an invite from a community leader that the minister is inviting them to play at the centre.
"I was told that "ChommY is coming and woke up early with my friends for us to meet Chommy. We were not aware that they are going to teach us about sex and pregnancy . But we have learned a lot and they also gave us drinks and pop corns ," said Phindi