Press Release
Action launches Action Pals 3

Thousands of children to benefit from production of adolescence booklet

Thousands of children between the ages of 10 and 16 years, stand to benefit from the production of a booklet that is tackling adolescence issues. The booklet is focusing on teenage sex and sexuality issues, growing up and its challenges. It also includes issues to do with physical changes, children´s testimonies on HIV and AIDS, children´s rights, racism and xenophobia.The booklet is interactive and will be used as a resource material for upper primary and lower secondary learners.

The booklet, entitled Action Pals 3 Tomorrow is Ours, is a third edition of the Action Pals booklets produced by Action, a local non governmental organization. A total of 500 000 copies of the latest booklet were produced and have been distributed to more than 6500 schools in Zimbabwe and 300 children´s organizations. Action has to-date produced more than five million copies of booklets from the three editions of the Action Pals brand produced in recent years.  

A representative of the National Organisation for Development for the Disadvantaged (NODED),
a vocational training institution who received the Action Pals 3 booklets recently said: “NODED appreciates the importance of this kind of information which unravels in an easy way the
psycho-social support information which is essential for the youth´s rehabilitation.”  

The Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture  (MOESC) in conjunction with Action are  planning to launch the Action Pals 3 Tomorrow is Ours booklet at Queen Elizabeth School in Harare on Friday 31 July 2009. The Ministry´s Harare Provincial Education Director is the guest of honour.

Action is a local non governmental organization formed as a project in 1987 as a result of the great need for information for children in the areas of health, development, environment and education. The MOESC approves publication of the Action Pals booklets whose issues are in line with the education curriculum in Zimbabwe.   

Action Pals is part of a 10- country Regional Health and Communication Programme, which includes, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The regional programme is supported by Soul City: Institute for Health and Development Communication, an NGO based in South Africa. The Action Pals is a multi-media education programme which includes the booklet, radio drama series and Public Service Announcements (PSAs). Action also produces multimedia products under the brand Action for Life, which targets adults and include print materials, television and radio drama series on HIV and AIDS as well as  social development.

Mr. Doba Harare Provincial Education Director