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dolescence is probably one of the most difficult times in anyone'€™s life, often leaving many vulnerable to negative influences.

To safely navigate these years, young people need to be equipped with sufficient information and knowledge on many subjects, including their own health.

Last weekend, 16 young people representing Bali'€™s eight regencies and one mayoralty participated in a workshop aimed at providing them with sex education and an understanding of reproductive health.

Organized by Kita Sayang Remaja (Kisara '€” We Care for Youth), a non-profit youth organization under the umbrella of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Family Planning Association (PKBI), the workshop was themed '€œSaatnya Remaja Berkumpul dan Beraksi'€ (Time for Youths to Gather and Take Action).

'€œThis is a youth forum. We call it Forum Remaja Bali 2014 [Bali Youth Forum 2014],'€ said Luh Putu Ari Dewiyanthi, one of Kisara'€™s coordinators.

The workshop, held from May 1 through May 3, consisted of activities, discussions and classes on reproductive health, sex education and gender issues.

'€œParticipants are being prepared to become peer educators, who will in turn spread the knowledge to their friends,'€ she said.

Peer educators have been proven an effective method of encouraging people of the same age to learn and adopt certain values.

'€œYoung people have to understand their own health and physical condition. They should be able to manage their lives knowing every crucial part of their body,'€ she said.

Increasing cases of premarital sex, teen pregnancy, drug abuse and other issues are often related to limited information and understanding of healthy lifestyles, reproductive health and safe relations.

Kisara invited young people aged between 12 and 22 years of age to submit a biography, essay and photovoice as part of the selection process.

Sixteen teenagers were selected to participate in the three-day workshop.

During the workshop, Kisara also selected several young people to serve as youth representatives and youth alternates to take part in the upcoming National Youth Forum in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, in October.

Aside from organizing the workshop, Kisara has also conducted outreach programs in 20 orphanages across Bali, teaching children and young people about reproductive health and personal hygiene.

'€œWe visit the orphanages to share our knowledge. We do not have money to give them, but we do have information and knowledge,'€ said Ari, a Kisara volunteer and student at Udayana University.

Kisara has also provided health and family planning services in its clinic and mobile clinic.

'€œOne of our targets is reaching marginalized youths, such as gays, lesbians, transgenders and commercial sex workers,'€ he said.

The number of young people accessing health services through the Kisara clinic reached 679 people in 2011 and 684 in 2012.

Nyoman Mangku Karmaya, a professor of medicine and PKBI advisor, said that reaching out to a large variety of youth groups was important and strategic.

'€œOur National Family Planning programs must also embrace young people and unmarried couples to fulfill their reproductive health rights,'€ Karmaya said.

The government should not close its eyes and turn a deaf ear to the rocketing need for family planning services provided to young and unmarried people.

'€œPKBI Bali has carried out its '€™Revolutionized Family Planning'€™ program by expanding its target services to these key populations,'€ he said.