YOUTH PROGRAMMES

ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH/ YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Improving the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young People Through Successful Youth Programming

Nigeria with a population of 140 million is predominantly a youthful population with about 33% of her citizen being in the age group of 10-24years. Young people in Nigeria are faced with different sexual, social and cultural challenges which make it difficult for them to make correct decisions on their reproductive health and well being.

Young people in Nigeria are faced with several reproductive health challenges such as unplanned teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortion, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. This has necessitated the need for concerted multi-sectoral approach to addressing the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health needs of the population. The magnitude and the dimensions of the reproductive health problems being faced by young people make it an issue of universal and national health priority.

In view of this, ARFH with support from the Ford Foundation Office for West Africa is collaborating with 3 NGOs in three Northern states of Nigeria to implement a project titled “Expanding the New Horizon for Systemic Change in Adolescent Reproductive Health Programming”. This project is ongoing and addressing reproductive health challenges faced by in-school young people in Kogi, Borno and Yobe states. The two-year project is an expansion of an earlier project which was implemented in Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Plateau states. The current phase of the project commenced implementation in 2006 and it is designed to build the capacities of three NGOs to respond appropriately to the reproductive health needs of young people. The organizations are Female Role Model Initiative (FROMI), Yobe state; Community Health and Youth Friendly Association (CHAYFA), Borno state and Youth and Women’s Health Empowerment Programmes (YAWHEP), Kogi State . The project is being implemented in six secondary schools in each of the project states through trained Teachers, Peer Educators and the school health clinic staff. The support for the project by the Stakeholders in the Ministries of Health, Education and the Local government areas has led to an improvement in the health seeking behaviors of students, significant reduction in truancy, reduction in teenage pregnancy, as well as enhanced personal hygiene of the students.

To ensure that young people have access to accurate information and services, the performance of the NGOs, Peer educators and Teachers was strengthened through an IEC Workshop that was at conducted in Lokoja, Kogi state between the 21 st and 25 th of May 2007.

Some of the trained Peer educators in Yobe(A) and Borno(B) states

Currently, ARFH in collaboration with the implementing partners are working towards ensuring the project’s success and its sustainability.

ARFH’s IEC Officer, Mr Oyediran, facilitating the IEC Development workshop in Kogi state.

CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTHS: ARFH conducts Peer Education Training & Training on Theater Production for its Youths

The Youth Rescue Club (YRC), a youth-led group within the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), which comprises of volunteers between the ages of 10-24years recently benefited from a series of capacity building programmes organized by ARFH. These consisted of a 5-day peer education training on adolescent reproductive and sexual health and a 3-day workshop on Theatre for Development (TFD) for 35 members of the Youth Rescue Club [YRC] between 30 th April to 4 th May 2007 .

The purpose of the Theater workshop was to improve the knowledge and skills of young people to provide correct information to their peers on Sexual and Reproductive Health issues including HIV&AIDS and also reposition them to function adequately as change agents among their peers.

The post workshop evaluation revealed considerable improvement in the knowledge and skills of the YRC members thus enhancing their abilities to use a variety of media strategies to sensitize their peers and the society at large on SRH issues.

IMPROVING YOUTH FRIENDLY SERVICE PROVISION IN NIGERIA

Young people desire Reproductive and Sexual Health information and services, however the challenges and constraints abound. The integration of Youth Friendly Clinics with Primary Health Centres and other government facilities has succeeded in addressing to a large extent, the lack of provision of accessible and affordable health care at the rural and urban communities. Currently most health professionals lack the knowledge and skills to ensure a functional, efficient youth friendly clinics and utilization.

In view of this, ARFH with support from National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) conducted a 5-day Training of Trainers Workshop from 30 th April – 4 th May 2007 on Adolescent Youth Friendly Service Provision. A total of 69 participants drawn from all the states of the Federation participated in the workshop which was held in two venues simultaneously (namely Niger and Ogun states). The participants consisted of NPHCDA coordinators, SMOH officials and local government health staff. The team of trainers comprised 6 members of staff of ARFH, and 3 consultants. The micro training and post test at the end of the programme revealed that, participants had acquired knowledge and skills in youth friendly service provision as well as in the conduct of training programmes.

Some of the participants at the workshop preparing for the micro-training. - CAPACITY BUILDING FOR NATIONAL YOUTH NETWORK on HIV and AIDS. (NYNETHA) DELTA STATE MEMBERS ON ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTH (ARSH) PROGRAMMING

With support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), ARFH in collaboration with the RH unit of Delta State organized a three day workshop to build the capacity of members of the state National Youth Network on HIV and AIDS ( NYNETHA) between 3 rd and 5 th of July 2007. A representative from ten different youth-led organizations participated in the workshop which was facilitated by two resource persons from ARFH, Ibadan .

The didactic sessions comprised lectures that updated participants’ knowledge and improved their skills on ARSH issuses. It is with optimism that this will lead to mainstreaming of ARSH programming into their different organizations with a multiplying effect of a positive change in the behaviour of both in and out of school young people in the state.

Group photograph of the workshop participants, the facilitators and UNFPA Delta State Adviser – Ms. Oludolapo Dabiri