A programme educating young girls about sexual and reproductive health in Ratanda, Heidelberg has mentored more than 120 girls since its inception in Gauteng six years ago. 

Organisers say there have been no pregnancies among participants since the launch of the educational programme. Girls Act has been running since 2020 and currently has 35 active participants.

The programme gives girls information about their sexual and reproductive health, including contraception, HIV and teenage pregnancy. Programme leaders say participants also receive academic guidance, career support, mentorship and counselling, all aimed at developing practical and leadership skills. 

When Palesa Tsotetsi joined Girls Act in 2023, she was so shy that interacting with other people did not come easily. Today, she is the programme’s deputy president, a public speaker and a young leader who has also served as president in a leadership programme at her school.

“When I first joined Girls Act, I was a very shy girl. I could not interact with people. “Throughout the years, I have learnt to build my confidence through Girls Act. I have learnt leadership skills,” she says. 

Tsotetsi says those skills extended beyond the programme. She says she was encouraged to step into leadership at school, where she became president. According to Tsotetsi, Girls Act also opened the door to public-speaking, advocacy and skills-development training, including beauty and make-up training.

Tsotetsi has since participated in a summit with healthcare workers, where teenagers were given an opportunity to explain how they wanted to be treated and why young people should have a voice in decisions concerning their bodies. 

“Some decisions are taken about our bodies without us having an opinion to share,” Tsotetsi says. 

Beyond leadership skills

17-year-old Palesa Mosia, who joined the programme two years ago, says the impact has also been felt in the classroom.

“It’s helped me a lot. They don’t just teach us about our bodies and diseases. They also provide academic and career support and even arranged a tutor when I was struggling at school,” she says. 

19-year-old Mandisa Mahlaba joined Girls Act when she was 14. 

“When I joined at 14, I had no confidence. The programme linked me to a therapist who helped me through issues. Girls Act helped me take back control of my life, body and mind,” she says.

Diana Hoorzuk, board member of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation South Africa (AHF), who funds the programme, says Girls Act has seen teen girls grow in confidence, improve academically and take on leadership roles.

“The progress we’re seeing is inspiring. Many girls have developed leadership skills and are becoming advocates for change,” she says. Hoorzuk says the programme also informs girls about their sexual and reproductive health, HIV and teenage pregnancy. 

No reported teen pregnancies among participants

AHF nurse and mentor, Simon Thebe says there have been no reported pregnancies among Girls Act participants in Ratanda since the programme started. 

“Through the Girls Act programme we’ve seen major behavioural change. In fact, since we started, we haven’t had a single pregnancy among the girls participating in the initiative. That shows what education and empowerment can do,” he says.

Teenage pregnancy remains a public health concern in South Africa. According to government figures, one in every 24 girls aged 15 to 19 gave birth in 2024-2025.

Thebe says the programme monitors participants through routine engagement and follow-ups and provides ongoing sexual and reproductive health education, contraceptive information and referrals to health services. 

Boys to Men club

The programme has also introduced a Boys to Men club to include boys in conversations and mentoring initiatives about gender-based violence, sexual health and other challenges facing teen boys. 

Hoorzuk says the club started in 2025 and currently has 30 participants in Ratanda. Hoorzuk says once participants leave the programme for university or employment, new participants are recruited. 

According to Hoorzuk, participants who have gone on to university or found jobs can return as alumni to help facilitate the programme.