SYAM PROJECT

SRHR Youth Advocacy Mombasa (SYAM) project

Background

Dream Achievers Youth Organization (DAYO) with funding from SIDA through HIVOs Southern Africa is currently implementing a four-year regional program that seeks to strengthen interventions on Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (ASRHR) and to amplify existing work via the Regional Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (RSRHR) Fund in Southern and East Africa.

Overview of the SYAM project:

It is the dream of every parent to see to it that their daughter goes through school successfully and gets to realize her dreams, but many girls do not get the opportunity to actualize their dreams as a result of teenage pregnancy. The statistics from a report by UNFPA on teenage pregnancy which stated that between June 2016 and July 2017, 378,397 adolescent girls aged 10-19 got pregnant. He added that in Kilifi the rate of teenage pregnancy was worrying because in just 5 months (November 2018- March 2019) the number had risen from 13,000 to 17,850. In Nyali, where the SYAM project is going to be based, he said that 1 out of 25 women who seek family planning services is aged between 10 19 years. The main outcome of the SYAM project is reduced teenage pregnancy as a result of improved health services which will be achieved through three main objectives.

These objectives are;

1. To enhance Young people’s awareness on SRHR through peer education in schools using the Dance 4 Life approach (Inspire and Educate) this will entail in-school activities where peer educators will teach students about reproductive health in clubs using the dance for life approach.

2. To increase demand for access to ASRHR by adolescents and young people. This will be done through community theatre outreaches and integrated community outreaches. It will also involve community health volunteers doing household visits and making referrals.

3. To improve availability of quality data and use for decision making. This he said will involve having a youth desk that will collect data of all the young people who have been referred to Ziwa la Ng?ombe health facility and the kind of services sought