No young person left behind

The specific issue we're addressing is the limited access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information, services, and commodities among youth, particularly those within religious communities, specifically in churches. Malawi, being a predominantly Christian nation, faces a significant challenge as traditional church doctrines often avoid discussing crucial SRHR topics such as condom use and family planning.

Government surveys highlight that 87% of Malawi's population is Christian, with an 11.6% Muslim minority. Commonly, over 40% of the country's youth actively participate in church activities (UNFPA report). However, the lack of comprehensive SRHR information within religious settings, including faith health facilities, poses a serious threat. Research by Wiktoria Tafesse reveals that this information gap may contribute to the rising incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, and unplanned pregnancies.

The critical problem we're addressing is not just the absence of SRHR services within religious settings but also the inadvertent exclusion of youth from shaping the discourse. While recent efforts have been made by church leaders to address SRHR concerns, the involvement of older generations has inadvertently sidelined the very demographic that needs these services the most—the youth. Our project seeks to reverse this trend, filling the widening gap in SRHR within faith and church settings by ensuring that young individuals actively participate in and lead the conversation.

Our project aims to tackle this pressing issue on two fronts:

1. Addressing the Gap in SRHR Services and Information: We seek to bridge the absence of SRHR services, information, and commodities within church and faith-based settings. By engaging with religious leaders and communities, our initiative aims to integrate comprehensive SRHR discussions into the fabric of these institutions.
2. Empowering Youth Involvement in SRHR Advocacy: Recognizing the disparity in current movements, where older individuals are predominantly leading the charge against SRHR issues in churches, our project aims to shift this narrative. We strive to empower the youth to take ownership of the SRHR agenda within their faith communities, ensuring that their voices contribute to the solutions addressing their specific needs.

With these strategies in place, our vision is to witness a surge in youth advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) within their respective churches. We envision numerous churches pledging their commitment to embrace SRHR within their congregations, aligning their practices with the evolving needs and perspectives of the youth. By fostering a collaborative dialogue between the younger generation and religious leaders, we aim to create a supportive environment where SRHR is not only acknowledged but actively integrated into the fabric of faith-based communities.

Our solution is a dynamic and transformative initiative that revolves around three core strategies, each designed to tackle the challenge of limited sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) access within church and religious settings.

1. Empowering Youth Advocates: We passionately believe in the power of youth to drive change. We are going to identify and equip 40 young innovators within churches to lead the charge for SRHR inclusivity advocacy in their churches. Through intensive training and mentorship programs, these advocates become not just voices for change but dynamic forces reshaping the conversation around SRHR within their gatherings.
2. Collaborating with Religious Leaders: Our approach extends beyond mere dialogue; it's about fostering genuine collaboration with religious and church leaders. We will engage 20 influential religious figures through impactful workshops, sharing real-world examples of successful initiatives, and demonstrating the transformative impact of embracing SRHR discussions. By aligning our goals with their values, we aim to create a united front for comprehensive SRHR inclusivity.
3. Enhancing SRHR Availability in Church Facilities: Accessibility is key. We are committed to making SRHR services, information, and commodities are readily available within church and faith-based facilities. This involves forging partnerships with healthcare providers to ensure that even within the sacred walls of a church, young individuals can access the SRHR support they need, breaking down barriers and fostering a culture of inclusivity.
4. Our vision extends beyond immediate change; we aspire to witness a cultural shift. By signing a memorandum of understanding with at least 10 churches, pledging to allow SRHR services and commodities within their churches., we are not just responding to a problem; we are laying the foundation for a future where every church becomes a beacon of SRHR support.

Through engaging workshops, compelling success stories, and a commitment to long-term impact, our solution is not just a project; it's a promise to shape a healthier, more inclusive future for all.

Our solution is crafted with a clear focus on two primary beneficiaries: the youth within church communities and religious leaders.

1. Empowering Youth within Churches: Our target demographic is the vibrant and dynamic youth population actively participating in church activities. Currently underserved in terms of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information, these young individuals often face a lack of awareness and accessibility to crucial services within the religious setting. By empowering them as advocates and leaders, we aim to directly impact their lives by:

• Providing them with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their sexual health.
• Fostering a sense of agency and ownership in advocating for SRHR inclusivity within their faith communities.
• Breaking down societal stigmas and barriers that hinder open discussions about SRHR issues.

2. Engaging Religious Leaders: Our solution recognizes the influential role of religious leaders within the church community. Currently, they may lack the awareness or understanding of the specific SRHR needs of the youth they serve. Our approach directly targets religious leaders and seeks to impact their lives by:

• Sensitizing them to the unique SRHR challenges faced by the youth within their congregations.
• Providing them with the tools and resources to facilitate open, non-judgmental discussions about SRHR.
• Empowering them to play a pivotal role in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment within their religious communities.

Overall, our solution is designed to create a positive and transformative impact on the lives of the youth and religious leaders. For the youth, it means gaining agency, access to vital information, and breaking free from the constraints of societal norms. For religious leaders, it involves broadening their understanding, fostering empathy, and actively contributing to the well-being and development of the youth they guide. Through this dual approach, our solution aims to bridge existing gaps and create a more inclusive and supportive space within church communities.

Our organization, a youth-led initiative comprised entirely of individuals aged 18 to 31, is uniquely positioned to design and deliver this solution to the target population within religious communities. Our proximity, shared religious background, and dedicated focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) distinguish us as the right team for this initiative.

Proximity to the Communities:

1. Youth-Led: Being entirely youth-led, our team embodies the experiences, challenges, and aspirations of the target demographic. We understand the nuances of growing up in religious environments and navigating SRHR discussions as integral parts of these communities.
2. Religious Background: As Christians with a deep religious background, we intimately grasp the cultural values, norms, and sensitivities prevalent within the communities we aim to serve. This shared foundation enhances our ability to communicate effectively and build trust.

Understanding and Engaging the Community: 3. Experience in SRHR Services: Our organization has a proven track record of offering SRHR services, fostering an environment where these services are not only accessible but also free for the youth. Through these initiatives, we have cultivated strong ties with the communities, allowing us to better understand their needs.

1. Successful Project Implementation: We have implemented similar SRHR projects targeting youth in colleges, universities, and secondary schools. This hands-on experience positions us as experts in the field, enabling us to identify and address gaps within the community effectively.
2. Annual Conference Know, Understand, Share, Act(KUSA): Our annual conference, KUSA, serves as a platform for youth engaged in SRHR and related programs to come together, discuss gaps, and collaboratively find solutions. The insights gained from KUSA 2022 directly contributed to identifying the gap addressed by this project, ensuring that community input is at the forefront of our solution.

Meaningful Community Involvement: 6. Results-Driven Collaborations: Our organization has successfully collaborated with renowned entities such as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNAIDS, HIVOs, Grand Challenges Canada, and Segal Family Foundation. Acknowledgment from UNAIDS in 2021 as a best practice underscores our commitment to delivering impactful results and maintaining a trustworthy work ethic.

In essence, our team's youth-led composition, shared religious background, experience in SRHR services, successful project track record, and meaningful community engagements through initiatives like KUSA showcase our unique position to meaningfully design and deliver a solution that directly addresses the SRHR needs of the communities we serve.

Our project is prototype because we are already involved in the SRHR Sphere, and this serves as an extension to other areas we would like to take our work to that we havn't been before, such as the church. 

Our solution stands out as innovative due to its holistic and transformative approach to addressing the issue of limited sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) access within religious communities. What sets our solution apart is the integration of multiple innovative elements:

1. Empowering Youth-Led Advocacy: Unlike traditional top-down approaches, we innovate by placing the power in the hands of the youth themselves. By identifying and empowering young advocates within churches, we catalyze a bottom-up movement where the very demographic affected is at the forefront of change. This novel approach ensures authentic representation and a more profound impact on the targeted population.
2. Collaborative Engagement with Religious Leaders: Our solution innovates by recognizing religious leaders as key allies rather than potential obstacles. Instead of imposing change, we engage in open dialogue, workshops, and collaborative efforts to sensitize and empower leaders. This approach acknowledges the influence of tradition and values within religious communities, fostering a collaborative environment that can lead to sustainable change.
3. Integration of SRHR Services within Faith Facilities: We go beyond conventional strategies by ensuring the availability of SRHR services within the very heart of religious communities. This involves forging partnerships with healthcare providers to embed services, information, and commodities within church facilities. This innovative integration normalizes SRHR discussions within the sacred space, overcoming the geographical and cultural barriers that often hinder access.
4. Utilizing Technology for Awareness and Education: Leveraging modern technology, our solution incorporates digital platforms for awareness campaigns and education. This includes online workshops, webinars, and interactive resources that cater to the tech-savvy youth demographic such as social media platroms. By embracing technology, we not only reach a wider audience but also create a space for open and anonymous discussions about SRHR, reducing the stigma associated with these topics.
5. Potential for Broader Positive Impacts: The innovative elements embedded in our solution have the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the space of SRHR advocacy. The youth-led advocacy model can inspire similar movements in different regions and communities, fostering a global network of empowered youth advocating for their SRHR needs. The collaborative engagement with religious leaders can set a precedent for bridging the gap between tradition and modernity, influencing similar initiatives across various religious contexts.

In essence, our solution is not just about solving a problem; it's about redefining the conversation, challenging norms, and creating a blueprint for a more inclusive and forward-thinking approach to SRHR within religious communities.

Next Year (Year 1):

Impact Goal 1: Empower and mobilize a cohort of at least 40 youth advocates from 20 diverse churches, providing them with the skills and knowledge to champion SRHR inclusivity within their communities.

Strategy: Implement an intensive training and mentorship program that includes workshops, webinars, and practical advocacy exercises. Collaborate with local youth organizations and church leaders to identify and engage potential advocates.

Impact Goal 2: Conduct SRHR awareness campaigns and workshops in 50 churches, reaching a minimum of 5,000 youth and sensitizing religious leaders to the importance of addressing SRHR needs within their congregations.

Strategy: Develop tailored awareness materials and workshops, leveraging digital platforms for wider reach. Establish partnerships with religious leaders and organizations to facilitate the integration of SRHR discussions into church activities.

Next Five Years (Years 2-5):

Impact Goal 1: Establish sustainable youth-led SRHR advocacy programs in at least 500 churches across different regions, ensuring ongoing engagement and support for SRHR inclusivity.

Strategy: Develop a scalable model for replicating the training and mentorship program, working closely with community leaders to adapt the approach to diverse cultural contexts. Create a network of experienced youth advocates to mentor new recruits.

Impact Goal 2: Achieve a 30% increase in the availability of SRHR services within religious facilities, directly benefiting at least 50,000 youth seeking access to information, contraception, and healthcare.

Strategy: Strengthen partnerships with healthcare providers, leveraging technology to streamline service delivery. Work with religious leaders to designate spaces within faith facilities for confidential SRHR services.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, including quantitative and qualitative metrics. Regularly assess the number of trained advocates, the reach of awareness campaigns, and the availability and utilization of SRHR services. Collect feedback from both youth and religious leaders to measure attitudinal shifts and assess the long-term impact of the program.

Collaboration and Partnerships: Forge strategic partnerships with local NGOs, healthcare providers, and religious institutions. Collaborate with governmental bodies to align initiatives with national SRHR policies and leverage resources for sustainability.

Advocacy and Policy Engagement: Engage in advocacy efforts at local and national levels to influence policies that support SRHR inclusivity within religious settings. Collaborate with like-minded organizations to amplify the collective voice advocating for positive change.

Through these targeted impact goals and strategic approaches, our aim is to catalyze a transformative shift in attitudes, practices, and policies related to SRHR within church communities, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and informed environment for the youth we serve.

Our theory of change revolves around empowering youth advocates, engaging religious leaders as allies, and embedding SRHR services within faith facilities. By addressing immediate needs through these activities, we expect to see a transformative impact on the attitudes, practices, and policies related to SRHR within church communities over the long term.

How:

Empowering Youth Advocates:

• Activity: Conduct intensive training and mentorship programs for youth advocates.
• Output: Empowered youth with knowledge and skills in SRHR advocacy.
• Outcome: Youth take leadership roles, advocating for SRHR inclusivity in their churches, ensuring authentic representation of their needs.

Collaborating with Religious Leaders:

• Activity: Facilitate workshops and open dialogues with religious leaders.
• Output: Sensitized leaders with an understanding of the SRHR needs of the youth.
• Outcome: Religious leaders become advocates for SRHR discussions, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment within churches.

Enhancing SRHR Availability in Church Facilities:

• Activity: Establish partnerships with healthcare providers to embed services within faith facilities.
• Output: Increased availability of SRHR services within religious settings.
• Outcome: Youth can access SRHR services conveniently, breaking down barriers and normalizing discussions around sexual and reproductive health within sacred spaces.

Why:

1. Youth-Led Advocacy Empowers Authentic Change:
   • By empowering youth advocates, we ensure that those directly affected are at the forefront of change, leading to a more authentic representation of SRHR needs within church communities.
2. Religious Leaders as Allies, Not Obstacles:
   • Collaborating with religious leaders is strategic. By sensitizing them to the specific SRHR needs of the youth, we transform them into allies, harnessing their influence to create a more supportive environment for open discussions.
3. Integration of Services Normalizes SRHR Discussions:
   • Embedding SRHR services within faith facilities normalizes discussions around sexual and reproductive health. This not only increases accessibility but also reduces the stigma associated with seeking such services within religious contexts.

Evidence Supporting our Approach:

• Findings from pilot programs and similar initiatives showcasing the positive impact of youth-led advocacy in SRHR.
• Surveys and interviews with youth and other religious leaders indicating a gap in SRHR knowledge and the need for inclusive discussions.
• Research highlighting successful collaborations between healthcare providers and religious institutions in delivering SRHR services.

Long-Term Impact:

• A cultural shift within church communities where SRHR discussions are normalized, stigma is reduced, and youth actively engage in shaping policies and practices.
• Increased availability of SRHR services in religious settings, contributing to a decline in STIs, unplanned pregnancies, and other SRHR-related issues among the youth.

Full Time: 12

Parttime: 5

Contractors: 3

Others: 5

We been working toward enhancing access to youth friendly comprehensive SRHR information, services and commodities  to young people for over 5 years. 

Our teams works with both women  and men respectively.

Our leadership team comprises with 60 percent women, and 20 percent young people living with HIV.

10 percent with disability.

The action we have achieved is 

1. Recruitment- we are intentional about our recruitment processes, making sure that women, people with disability and other minority groups of the society are given space.

2. Programs- We also have programs that are specifically designed for disadvantaged groups. For example we have a program called "Comfort Corner" that works and focuses on young people who are living with HIV.

In Malawi, young people are sexually active as early as the age of 13 (according to the MDHS 2015 report). Yet for such an active group that experiences the greatest consequences of SRHR such as Early pregnancy, HIV, and sexual exploitation, they are left out in the provision of SRH services. The concern has been that most of the services are provided in the same places where adults seek their services rendering the environments unfriendly for the young generation and most of the SRH services providers are elderly people who patronize them. In trying to tackle this alarming number, We developed an innovative peer-to-peer model, Where we train young peer educators between the ages of 15 to 24 to reach out to fellow young people with the following services;

• Social media sexual, gender, and mental health counseling

• Family planning guidance and referral

• Gender and sexual violence prevention, reporting, and psychosocial support reach out

• HIV testing services for young couples

• STI screening, counseling, and treatment referrals

• Menstrual health hygiene skills

• Community social support programs

• Education and Economic empowerment programs

• Comprehensive Sexuality education campaigns

Here is how the model works;

• Volunteers are recruited. These are young people aged 15 to 24.

• Recruited volunteers are trained in age-appropriate, peer-to-peer, mentorship, and

counselling programs.

• They are then sent to their communities where they identify vulnerable young people.

These could be adolescent girls engaging in sexual activity or adolescent boys engaging

in alcohol and substance abuse or girls going through gender and sexual violence.

• They work with these young people for behavior change and empowerment.

• Vulnerable young people in need of treatment or special counselling and information are

referred to FACT offices/centers to meet professionals.

• When professionals at our centers identify the need for further help, they refer these

young people to our partners for treatment. Such treatment could be post-abortion care services, and/or STI treatment.

•The volunteers through our centers continue to follow up with all of the young people that have been reached out to.

• Community youth clubs are created where these young people keep on engaging with one another. 

We aim to bring in money for our work by.

1. Project proposal writing 

2. Individual fundraising 

3. Investments fundraising

4. Service provisions such as private HIV testing services

5. Partnerships