• My Zone

Breaking Taboos: Namibian podcast wins big

- 2023-12-14 00:00:00

At the recently held Youth Connekt Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, the Mental Health and Sexual Reproductive Health HackLab saw the emergence of groundbreaking solutions.
Among the two winning solutions was the Sex Talks Podcast, which was founded by Namibian Selma Iyambo.
The podcast is aimed at tackling mental health and sexual reproductive health issues.
"Excited and grateful to be among this year's hacklab winners, I am thrilled!" Iyambo said.
"This victory signifies a pivotal moment for myself and the Sex Talks Podcast, empowering us to expand our reach beyond sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to address the crucial issue of mental health, particularly for young people between the ages of 10 and 24."

Inspiring
Iyambo explained that the funds the podcast won will "enable us to conduct pilot projects and forge collaborations with other institutions and individuals dedicated to SRHR and mental health across the continent. Additionally, we are eager to benefit from the incubation and mentorship provided by AfriLabs, a valued sponsor of the hacklab. Witnessing young people being granted a seat at the table with the support and resources necessary to tackle the continent's challenges is truly inspiring."
The Sex Talks Podcast exemplifies the power of addressing taboo subjects with an innovative approach. By combining discussions on mental health and sexual reproductive health, the podcast aims to contribute to de-stigmatising these topics, foster open conversations and provide valuable information to its audience.
The recognition of the Sex Talks Podcast comes not only with accolades but tangible support for its future development, with a USD$20 000 award in seed funding coupled with invaluable business investment readiness support.
This financial backing is poised to propel the Sex Talks Podcast and other winning initiatives towards greater impact and sustainability.

Transformative results
The hacklab brought together ten young innovators from the East and Southern Africa region, representing countries such as Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Each innovator presented an existing or upcoming idea that utilised technology to address the interconnected challenges of mental health and sexual reproductive health and rights.
The primary goal of the innovations showcased at the hacklab aligns with the ambitious UNFPA Transformative Results by 2030, aiming to end preventable maternal deaths, end the unmet need for family planning and end gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage and female genital mutilation.
The initiative is spearheaded by the UNFPA East and Southern Africa region, in collaboration with the Youth Connekt Africa Summit (YCA), and implemented by AfriLabs. The collaboration seeks to harness the power of technology and innovation to drive tangible progress in crucial areas impacting the lives of women and youth across the region.