Description
Children and Adolescents Life Skills Training Network (CALSTN) is a Zambian non-profit making organization. The organization is legally registered with the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) as a Company Limited by Guarantee under the Companies Act Cap 338 of the law of Zambia. Its Head office is situated at plot # 650/5 Milima Road, Woodlands, Lusaka.
Many of the challenges facing young people in Zambia today are a direct result of cultural practices, peer pressure and rapidly changing social, economic and political environments. There is a growing recognition that many young people in Zambia are not sufficiently equipped with life skills to help them deal with their cultural beliefs and societal demands. Research data indicates that due to lack of proper training in life skills, there is high a rate of sexual activities that cause unwanted pregnancies, high HIV infection rate, high rate of school dropout, early marriage, high unsafe abortion rate and dumping of babies. Furthermore, high levels of alcohol and drug abuse have given rise to juvenile delinquency, expulsion from schools and increase rate of suicide attempts among youths.
The CALSTN Skills-4-Life program seeks to engage and provide life skills training to in-school and out-of-school children, adolescents and young adults in order to help them avoid various vulnerabilities and transition into productive and responsible adults. Through an interactive, structured short-term course on life skills and reproductive sexual education, the program seeks to help the target avoid HIV infection and other STIs, early and unwanted pregnancy, alcohol and substance abuse, and violence.
