Provide Tech Health Solutions for Nigerian Youth

We are always very excited to work for and with young people to improve their quality of lives. And because its August we are more excited because we get to join the globe to celebrate young people. 12th of August every year is celebrated as International Youth Day, the theme of this year is "Safe Spaces for Youth". Young people are unique, diverse and require safe spaces to freely express themselves in every sphere of their lives. Safe spaces will not only improve the quality of lives they live but would also encourage positive engagement and development. For us we use mobile technology to create safe spaces for young people. The Mobile Question and Answer Service is an ideal safe space that allows young people to express themselves, ask any question that concerns their body changes, sexual and reproductive health without fear of being judged or criticized. Following this year's theme for the International Youth Day we carried out several activities in our different field offices that engaged young people in several ways through soccer and edutainment, providing them with the safe space to display their talents through dance and musical performances, while providing them with accurate sexual and reproductive health information. We also had condom demonstration, demonstrating the right way to use the male and female condoms. It was not just all talk, the young people had fun, dancing and reciting poems. There was also quizzes, and incentives to motivate participation. We also demonstrated how the My Question and Answer Service could be used to access sexual and reproductive health information making them understand that whatever issue being discussed is kept safe. Besides, providing them with information there was also free HIV counseling and testing services. The young people were curious and had questions to ask, this gave us opportunity to clarify all their concerns. 124 males and 56 females were reached with sexual and reproductive health information and 48 males and 26 females were took the HIV test.

"Thank you for coming, girls in my community face a lot of challenges and I have really wanted to talk to someone, I am happy I have been able to talk to you". Justina 20years, Abuja.

Through your support many more young people are accessing sexual and reproductive health information, from our technological safe space. Thank you so much.

We will continue to reach out to more adolescents and young people, providing them with safe spaces tthat encourage health seeking behaviors.