Reproductive Health Zambia Project #51011

Pregnancy Prevention for 200+ Teenagers in Zambia

by African Education Program

Project Report | Jan 8, 2026
Holistic Program Model Helps End Period Poverty

By Pamela O'Brien | Development Director

In 2025, the African Education Program (AEP) reaffirmed what its community-led, holistic model has demonstrated for years: true transformation comes when education, health, leadership, and inclusion are integrated into young people’s lives. One striking example of this impact is the organization’s ongoing effort to end period poverty and expand menstrual health access for girls across Kafue, Zambia.

As highlighted in AEP’s Top Ten Countdown of 2025, one of the year’s pivotal achievements was the expanded distribution of reusable menstrual pads to eight local schools, reaching over 2,400 pads along with practical menstrual health education for girls and their mothers. This initiative ensured that no girl’s education is interrupted simply because of her period — restoring dignity, confidence, and equality.

This work fits into AEP’s Reproductive Health Access Initiative (RHAI), a key pillar of its holistic program model. Rather than treating menstrual health as a stand-alone issue, AEP embeds it within broader goals of education, health empowerment, gender equity, and community leadership. By bringing menstrual health training, reusable products (like pads, cups, and period underwear), and peer-led education into their flagship Learning & Leadership Center and surrounding communities, AEP tackles period poverty at its roots — social stigma, lack of access, and barriers to education.

AEP’s approach is not just about supplying products. It’s about creating agency: girls choose the menstrual health solutions that work best for them; families and community leaders engage in dialogue to shift norms; and both boys and girls participate in reproductive health education that builds respect, equity, and understanding.

The results speak for themselves: ensuring uninterrupted learning, boosting girls’ confidence, and lifting systemic barriers that once held young women back. In this way, AEP’s holistic model helps end period poverty not as a siloed intervention, but as an essential thread woven through broader efforts to empower youth, strengthen communities, and unlock long-term opportunity in Zambia.

Here's to an incredible 2026! Thanks for joining us on our journey.

Links:

Medium Blog: Top Ten Countdown of AEP's 2025

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Sep 19, 2025
Empowering Girls to Lead Change in Kafue

By Pamela O'Brien | Development Director

Every August, our flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, the Amos Youth Centre (AYC), holds its Annual Leadership and Life Skills Camp. While the week is filled with fun, creativity, and friendship, its deeper purpose is clear: to equip girls with the skills, confidence, and platforms to become powerful messengers of change in their own community.

How the Camp Helps Girls Find Their Voice

In a context where girls face early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and barriers to education, the camp provides an environment where they can practice leadership safely and visibly. Through sessions on health, reproductive rights, and self-esteem, girls learn language and knowledge that allow them to speak confidently about their futures.

Activities like theater, poetry, and banner-making give girls tools to turn ideas into messages that resonate with their peers and families. Even something as simple as practicing sign language ensures inclusivity, teaching girls that leadership means making sure no voice is left out.

Why It Works

The camp is intentionally designed to amplify girls’ voices beyond its walls. On the final day, campers march through Kafue carrying banners with messages about ending early marriage, preventing teenage pregnancy, and supporting girls’ education. These public demonstrations are critical in a community where harmful gender norms persist. Parents and community members pause, read, and discuss the messages — sparking conversations that might not otherwise happen.

Because participation is earned through ongoing involvement at AYC, the girls who attend are already leaders-in-training. Camp strengthens their ability to communicate, builds their confidence to address sensitive issues, and reinforces that their voices matter in shaping the future of their community.

Lasting Impact

The result is not just a memorable week, but a generation of young women leaving camp ready to advocate for themselves and their peers. Girls return home as role models, carrying positive messages into their schools, churches, and families. Year after year, the camp is proving that when girls are given platforms to lead and the tools to amplify their voices, entire communities shift toward equity and opportunity.

Thank you for making it possible for these girls to become champions of change in Kafue.

Links:

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May 21, 2025
Peer Education Lowers Pregnancy Rates in Zambia

By Pamela O'Brien | Development Director

Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journey

Our Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, is leveraging the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award peer-to-peer education model to expand its reach and impact among local youth. This approach empowers trained youth leaders to educate and mentor their peers, fostering a sustainable cycle of community-driven development.

Expanding Reach Through Peer Education

In 2025, our local Zambian team aims to engage over 5,000 children, youth, and women through its comprehensive programs. A significant component of this outreach is the Peer-to-Peer Education Program, which is projected to reach more than 4,000 youth in the local community schools. This program focuses on critical areas such as reproductive health, period poverty, gender equity, drug abuse prevention, and leadership development.

The peer education model involves training selected youth as peer educators, who then disseminate knowledge and skills within their communities. This method not only extends the program's reach but also enhances the leadership capabilities of the peer educators themselves. Regular sessions, including role-playing and real-life scenario discussions, are conducted to ensure practical understanding and application of the topics covered. Sexual and reproductive health topics are often discussed.

By equipping young people in the community with sexual and reproductive health and rights knowledge, they can make informed choices about their lives in relation to sexual health.

Integration with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award provides a structured framework that complements our peer education initiatives. By aligning with the Award's principles, we ensure that its programs promote holistic development, including community service, physical recreation, skill development, and adventurous journeys. This integration enhances the appeal and effectiveness of our local programs, encouraging more youth participation and commitment.

Peer-to-peer education is particularly effective in sub-Saharan Africa due to a combination of cultural, social, and logistical factors that align well with the model's strengths. Here's how:

Cultural Relevance and Trust: Young people in sub-Saharan Africa often respond more openly to messages delivered by their peers rather than authority figures. Peer educators share similar life experiences, languages, and social contexts, making their messages more relatable and trustworthy.

Youth-Dominated Demographics: With over 60% of the population under 25, sub-Saharan Africa is one of the youngest regions globally. Peer-to-peer education leverages this demographic advantage by turning a large youth population into both the target audience and the agents of change.

Bridging Gaps in Teacher and Health Worker Shortages: Many communities face shortages of trained teachers, counselors, and healthcare workers. Peer educators help fill this gap by disseminating accurate information on topics like sexual and reproductive health, climate awareness, and leadership, particularly in rural or underserved areas.

Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability: Peer education programs are relatively low-cost and scalable, especially when resources are limited. Once peer educators are trained, they can reach many more youth through school clubs, community forums, and informal networks.

Empowerment and Skill Building: The model not only educates others but also empowers peer educators themselves, building their confidence, leadership, communication skills, and civic engagement—benefits that ripple outward into their communities.

The local team at our Learning & Leadership Center consists of three Junior Facilitators, three Senior Facilitators and three Mentor Facilitators. This is an incredible leadership development experience for these young people and we can't wait to see what the future holds for them!

Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journey Teamwork

Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journey Camping Trip

Links:

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