Role: Junior Professional Consultant Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH)

Client: United Nations Population Fund-Zimbabwe

Timeframe: June-December 2014

Overview: Collaborated on the Zimbabwe component of a multinational Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Multimedia Campaign, with the aim of enhancing awareness and services among adolescents. Utilizing innovative strategies such as Youth Art Day and involving campaign champions, the project fostered youth engagement and empowerment, resulting in impactful outcomes across advocacy, education, healthcare, and knowledge dissemination.

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Situation

In Harare, Zimbabwe, adolescents face significant challenges accessing sexual reproductive health (SRH) services and comprehensive sexuality education. Despite the importance of these services, youth often lack awareness and engagement in SRH matters, highlighting the need for targeted campaigns to address these gaps.

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Our Approach

Understanding the Campaign and Objectives

• Campaign Goals: The Safeguard Young People (SYP) Multimedia Campaign aimed to enhance comprehensive sexuality education, strengthen youth networks, and increase awareness and utilization of SRH services among adolescents in Zimbabwe.

• Mass Media Channels: Utilizing various mass media channels such as radio stations, social media platforms, billboards, and traditional advertising methods, the campaign sought to reach a wide audience.

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Pitching and Hosting Youth Art Day

• Engaging Youth: Recognizing the importance of youth involvement, we proposed hosting a Youth Art Day to directly engage young people in the campaign's creative process.

• Event Logistics: With approval from stakeholders, we organized the event, securing a venue, coordinating with partners and government representatives, and providing necessary logistics and supplies.

• Creative Process: During the event, youth participants contributed to crafting the campaign's key message and theme song, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment.

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Multimedia Campaign Implementation

• Campaign Components: In addition to organizing Youth Art Day, our responsibilities included drafting contracts, procuring materials, ensuring the presence of specialists for radio slots, and managing communications with partners.

• Campaign Champion: We selected Makanaka Wakatama, a former child television star with personal experience of child marriage, as the campaign champion, sparking national conversation on this issue.

• Assisted in creating thematic topics for the campaign and contributed to drafting and editing scripts for each radio show focused on different Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) topics.

 

Results

• Advocacy: Conducted in-depth analysis of laws affecting adolescent sexual and reproductive health in East and Southern Africa. Supported the development of laws addressing child marriage. Collaborated with governments to inform national policies.

• Education: Integrated comprehensive sexuality education manuals for out-of-school youth. Produced manuals for young people living with HIV. Launched a teacher training course and a mobile site for adolescents.

• Healthcare: Reviewed and improved youth-friendly health service standards. Enhanced health services to meet the unique needs of young people.

• Empowerment: Trained youth in advocacy and leadership skills. Engaged youth networks to influence decision-making. Utilized social media to amplify youth voices.

• Youth-Centered Approach: By involving youth directly in the creative process, our project became more youth-initiated, resonating deeply with the target audience and reflecting the adolescent experience more authentically.

• Knowledge dissemination: Compiled extensive data on youth needs and resources.

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The Safeguard Young People Multimedia Campaign in Zimbabwe demonstrated the power of targeted youth engagement in addressing gaps in sexual reproductive health awareness and services. By involving adolescents directly in the creative process and championing their voices, we not only amplified awareness but also empowered young individuals to advocate for their rights and needs. The campaign's multifaceted approach, from advocacy and education to healthcare enhancement, underscores the importance of comprehensive strategies in promoting youth-centered initiatives for a healthier and more empowered generation.