Pregnancy Prevention for 200+ Teenagers in Zambia

It’s hard to believe that 20 years have gone by since I was a teenager dreaming about creating change in the world. But when I look at my Zambian colleagues who are spearheading programs at our Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, and I remember that I met them when they were teenagers, reality hits. The years have indeed gone by.

Our theme for this anniversary year is, “Dream. Believe. Achieve.” These three powerful words encapsulate the essence of our mission and the journey we have undertaken together over the past two decades.

Dream. From the very beginning, our dream to make the world a better place drove us to do a service project with a personal connection. A dream turned into providing educational materials to disadvantaged youth in Zambia.

Believe. It is the unwavering belief in the potential of every child that has given us the inspiration to stay steadfast in our work. I wish I could say that challenges have been few, that burn out didn’t exist and that this work is as easy as it is rewarding. I would be lying. But the belief in the impact we can have has kept us going.

Achieve. From 25 students accessing the Learning & Leadership Center when we first opened our doors to this year reaching 4,000 children, youth and women in Zambia, I think it is safe to say that we have achieved much. But more than the numbers, achievement is cemented in the countless success stories and achievements that have surpassed even our wildest dreams.

From this teenage dream to a thriving reality, our belief in the transformative power of education and leadership development has guided us every step of the way. Together, we’ve not only dreamt of a brighter future for African children, youth and women, but through dedication and resilience, we’ve turned those dreams into tangible achievements, transforming lives and communities.

Dream. Believe. Achieve.

I ask you to take a second and watch our 20 Years' through photos highlight on YouTube.

Thank you for following our work and for being a part of our journey.

Warmest Regards,

Julie-Anne

Links:

• Website

The‍ facepalm emoji didn’t exist in 2007. If it had at the time, I know it’s exactly what I would have used when I found out that one quarter of the young women in our inaugural cohort of students at the Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia had become pregnant within a few months. ‍‍‍

So you can imagine why, today, we are so proud that less than 2% of the young women at the Center become pregnant. This is compared to 15–20% still becoming pregnant locally in Kafue.

We are equally proud that 92% of our young women feel comfortable managing their periods thanks to the reusable menstrual products that are distributed at the Center.

It’s been a privilege to be a part of developing the menstrual and reproductive health programming at the Center over the years. In blogs to come, we will explore that development, how learning and adaptation have become critical components of these programs, and the African Education Program’s continued role in strengthening the capacity of the Learning & Leadership Center’s team. But with the year-end holidays closely approaching and everyone’s minds in need of a break, I thought this week I’d keep it simple and share with you some of my favorite photos of our menstrual and reproductive health work over the years.

2007: We take a break from organizing the library to talk about “girls’ stuff.” I also have fond memories of facilitating sessions with bananas and condoms!

2010: Our suitcases would be full of disposable pads which would cram the storage closet at the Learning & Leadership Center. Sometimes we would have pad pyramid making contests.

2019: We begin to distribute reusable menstrual pads instead of the disposable ones for a more sustainable and ecofriendly solution. I get to participate in a training where the young women from the Center learn to sew their own pads.

Today: The young women not only have access to reusable pads, but to period underwear and reusable menstrual cups!

I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to the program partners who have played an instrumental role in making this year’s menstrual and reproductive health work a resounding success. We owe a special thanks to Hologic Philanthropy, Saalt, USAID Youth Excel and IREX.

Together, we are making a significant difference in the lives of countless individuals, and I look forward to continuing this journey of empowerment and transformation.

Links:

• Reproductive Health Access Initiative (RHAI)