Programmes developed for the general public are unlikely to meet the needs of young people. It is for this reason that addressing the health and development of young people promotes their adoption of healthy behaviours and, in turn, ensures a healthy and productive future adult population. Society for Family Health (SFH) has over four decades of experience implementing youth-focused programmes and facilitating youth participation in health programmes beginning in 2005 when the organisation implemented the Comprehensive Integrated Approach to HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project in Nigeria (CIHPAC).  SFH designs high-quality, youth-friendly programs that address their specific needs and aspirations by actively involving young people in designing programs using meaningful involvement and human-centred design principles.  

We equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed choices about their health and well-being through programs like the Adolescents 360, Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Life Skills Project, Total Energies Optimised A360 Project, Integrated Child Health Social Services Award 3, Lafiyan Yara, Paediatric Adolescent Treatment Africa (PATA), and GF NAHI AGYW initiatives.  SFH is currently implementing the Adolescents 360 project in collaboration with the public sector to break down barriers to adolescent access and use of contraception to increase voluntary, modern contraceptive use among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years: 

• Using a replicable User Centred Design (UCD) and youth engagement approach built on evidence for developing high-impact SRH model(s) 
• Co-creating models and designs with adolescents that are affordable and scalable. 

The project is in 8 states across Nigeria: Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Edo, Delta, Kaduna and Nasarawa states. SFH collaborates with public and private sectors to implement the project with different designs, one for married and one for unmarried girls. Both designs consider the future dreams of the girl, thus giving her life skills as well as making contraception relevant, which empowers her to achieve her future dreams. Due to the success of the intervention, SFH received additional funding to specifically target married girls in Northern Nigeria while intervention for unmarried girls continues in Southern Nigeria.  SFH is also implementing the AGILE project aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls aged 10 and 20. Specifically, SFH is implementing component 2.2a of the project, which aims to empower girls with critical life skills and knowledge for navigating adulthood. 

Furthermore, under the Paediatric Breakthrough Partnership, SFH is implementing interventions that help identify HIV-positive paediatric and adolescents in the community and improve access to testing, treatment and retention in care.  SFH implemented the Grand Challenges Canada Adolescents and Young Persons Project, a one-year project (January-December 2022) started in January 2022 to improve healthcare providers’ Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes towards rendering Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Services to Adolescents and Young Persons (AYPs), including Key population via an online digital platform known as the Medical Learning Hub which is managed by our tech partner Tech Care for All (TC4A). These services include counselling, STI management, HIV care, contraceptive uptake, and others. SFH’s diverse programs address a wide range of issues faced by young people in Nigeria. These include access to contraception, education opportunities, and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. By investing in their health and well-being today, we are building a healthier and more empowered future for all.