Iona and team with Okuapehene
Musician Iona Reine has marked her 30th birthday celebration with students of Mamfe Methodist Girls’ Senior High School in the Akuapem North Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The female artiste through her “Iona Foundation” before visiting the school to educate the young ladies on the HIV and AIDS situation in Ghana, paid a courtesy call on the Okuapehene, Oseeadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III to receive blessings.
Thereafter, the artiste, who is also a midwife by profession, proceeded to Methodist Girls’ Senior High School (MEGHIS) where she was received in a grand style to educate and also celebrate the birthday with the students.
Speaking on the topic of the menstrual cycle, Iona Reine averred that most of the girls, especially in SHS, do not know their menstrual cycle, causing a rise in teenage pregnancy.
According to the ‘Obra’ hitmaker, lack of education has resulted in teenage pregnancies, with most young students saddled with pregnancies on the streets, and as part of her career, she has decided to educate the youth to help curb the situation.
“Teenage pregnancy and HIV rates have increased in the country, so as a midwife, I meet a lot of young girls all the time that at their young age, they need to drop out from school, they go through a lot of complications because naturally they are not matured enough to have babies and I see the kind of suffering they go through.
Iona cuts birthday cake with students of MEGHIS
“With some teachings that I do on my social media page revealed that a lot of girls do not know about their menstrual cycle. So it has been my dream to travel to senior high schools and do some awareness concerning the menstrual cycle,” she added.
Iona, therefore, advised the students to abstain from sex or use protection to prevent their life to be put on hold by unwanted pregnancies and STDs.
She further donated boxes of sanitary pads and T-shirts to the students, and also cut the birthday cake with the school authorities.
The school band also put together a birthday song and a choreography dance to express their appreciation to the music star.
BY Daniel Bampoe