THE VIRGINS CLUB OF GHANA SPREADS ABSTINENCE 

The Virgins Club of Ghana, an affiliate of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, is doing exciting work in Ghana. Currently hosting 24 groups in the Ashanti Region, these groups bring the message of abstinence until marriage to more than 1,600 African youth. With two years of experience, the Virgins Club is growing and leaders plan to create similar clubs in all ten regions of Ghana. [E-Mail Update, Abstinence Clearinghouse, 8/25/04]

THE POWER OF AN ABSTINENCE CLUB
Just Say Yes! (Youth Equipped to Succeed) hosts an Abstinence Club and changes lives.

Recently, Just Say Yes! Speaker, Howard Flaherty, addressed the Abstinence Club at Vines High School (Plano, TX) with a presentation entitle, “Sex, Lies, and Society.” After debunking the lies that teens hear about sex in the media from their peers, Howard challenged them to be “revolutionary” in their thinking.

One of the club’s officers, David, decided to use the topic as the basis for a speech assignment and he delivered an 8-minute speech on the “The Purity Revolution” to his class.

Another club member and recent graduate wrote:

“I have been through many rough and trying times in my life. I have most certainly made my share of mistakes and have my share of regrets. When abstinence was introduced to me I was going through a very emotionally stressful time in my life. I had done things I whole—heartedly regretted. I thought I could never be abstinent. Then I met our school nurse who taught me that it is never too late to start over. Since then, I have been going to our school’s abstinence meetings and have gained more than I ever thought possible. Being a part of this group has made me realize that your past does not always have to stay with you. I have also realized how lucky I was – I didn’t get pregnant, nor get a disease. But I did, however, lose a part of me I can never get back – my virginity. I also lost my self-respect, my pride in myself, and my desire for success. The school nurse and the Abstinence Club gave those three back to me. I know I can never get back what was so selfishly taken from me. But I did get back a huge part of me that makes up a large part of who I am today. I thank my school nurse and the Abstinence Club for giving my life back to me. I applaud all who stand up for abstinence and the safety and innocence of our youth. Thank you!”

[Just Say Yes Newsletter, December 2004; 22Dec04 Abstinence Clearinghouse]