A Well-Informed Adolescent Initiative

Sarah Kuponiyi was born and raised in Nigeria. She received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 2017.  As a Founder and Executive Director of A Well-Informed Adolescent (AWA) Initiative, Sarah leads the team in creating and managing Safe Spaces that ensure young people can achieve their potential by enabling them access to essential sexual reproductive and mental health education and services, quality formal and technical education and opportunities to create livelihood like skills acquisition and empowerment without being exposed to discrimination, harassment, emotional or physical harm.
   As a Beijing Eaglet (younger women advocate) for UN Women Nigeria, she uses her skills to advocate upholding of human rights for sexual/reproductive health as the key to ensuring that women/girls can be equal and free to make decisions in all spheres of their lives, without discrimination, without violence or coercion with the assurance of their dignity upheld.

Adolescence marks a critical time of development for young people yet these sub population lack skills, resources and opportunities they need to navigate this phase of life successfully. A well-Informed Adolescent Initiative aim to provide adequate resources, skills and opportunities young people need to make healthy choices in all area of their lives. This will elevate humanity because today's generation of young people is the largest in history, young people ages 10-24 are estimated for 25% of total population. If they are equipped to make informed decisions their behaviours will affect the world's social, environmental and economic well being for generations. We believe this initiative can raise youths who are catalysts of positive sustainable change

As young people grow, they are usually not aware or understand all of the consequences of their behavior, they lack the information, self-confidence to make informed independent decisions and the decision and choices adolescents make today have long term repercussions because during this phase health and social behaviors are established for life. Likewise some sociocultural and religious norms predispose young people to danger and high risk behaviors. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about two-thirds of premature deaths in adults are related to early adoption of harmful behaviours initiated in adolescence such as unprotected sex, violence, smoking or substance abuse.

Unfortunately, young people do not have adequate access to resources, skills and opportunities which always affect their quality of life. for example sixteen million adolescent girls ages 15 to 19 give birth each year, this accounts for approximately 11% of all births world wide, and nearly all this births 95% occur in developing countries and estimated 90% occur among married adolescents. This could have been prevented if adolescents girls have access to information about their sexual  reproductive health and rights. other instances, half of new HIV infection occur among young people every year, young people engaging in riskier behaviors

A Well Informed Adolescent (AWA) Initiative is a youth focus, youth led organization that provides adequate comprehensive sexuality education and integrated sexual reproductive health services to young people. We achieve this through the use of social media, digital platforms, and multi-sectorial programs that link health to education, recreational activities, skills acquisition, also youth club activities, school based campaign, safe space, advocacy and peer health education.  AWA Initiative is an organization established because of the need to invest appropriately in the health and development of young people, and has continued to strive towards improving the health and development of this unique population sub-group.

We work directly with young people, adolescents 10-19years  and youths 15-24 years male and female. We believe this sub-population is not homogeneous rather heterogeneous with varying needs

Empathy is necessary in every facet of life, especially in the face of comprehending an adolescent. The ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and understand their feelings and mental processes is fundamental. As a team of young people ourselvesWe have all been teenagers once. Since each one of us has gone through this stage, it is important to connect with our inner self. We analyze what our thoughts, feelings, longings and burdens were. The past can help us, but we have to view everything in light of present circumstances and not from our past oneWe are young people ourselves and we have been through the similar paths and this is what drives us to create a narrative different from what we knew or grew with. Additionally, we organize focal group discussion, interviews and school based programs where we interact with our audiences to understand their present reality and challenges, we also involve them in our program designs.

The problem A well-Informed Adolescent Initiative solve aligns with providing opportunities for young people who are traditionally left behind without having access to skills, opportunities and resources they need to make healthy decisions.  This is done through our safe space or social asset building. The safe space provide avenue and platforms for young people to come together network with peers and mentors and access skills, opportunities and resources they need.

Likewise, our project aligns with change in behaviours we use broader health-promotion and competence-enhancement frameworks that integrate strategies for reducing risk.

Growing up as a teenager in a broken home there was no to narrate my ordeal to I was at the receiving end of the emotional break down of dad per time. There were days I felt like ending it or running away, there was no one I could share my burden and concern with there were time I was bullied, there were times I was harassed yet I kept all to myself because there was no listening ears or safe haven transitioning from adolescents to younger adults there were dead hope and failed dreams looking back I dreadfully wish for a better life for my younger self nonetheless I believe I could change the narrative even if home is not safe I could make a safe haven for these ones and that was how I started the safe space program that became A Well-Informed Adolescents where young people can come and discuss without fear and prejudice and we help provide them the resources, skills and opportunities they need to succeed.

Years after going through poor and un-dignifying sexual health development and watching peers suffer sexual abuses due to lack of comprehensive sexuality education and services; I became afraid of what will befall other young people if nothing is done now. This thought of the future inspired me to take action which started as a campus movement through my graduation with a degree in Microbiology and Youth-Sexual-Reproductive Health Certificate; having over 4-year experience working as a Sexual Reproductive Health Peer Educator that led to the formation of community social organization called Adolescent Reproductive Health and Rights Initiative - https://web.facebook.com/AWAInitiative22/ in 2017 which have provided sexuality education through multi-sectorial programs, youth club activities and support system to youths of Yala and Calabar Municipal community

I am passionate about this project because I want to change the narrative for young people, I will be glad to see a generation of young people using their energy for positive sustainable changes rather than being victims of circumstances

As a Skilled public health development practitioner talented in dealing with tasks related to treating and preventing infectious diseases. Likewise influential in developing standards and guidelines in the investigation and surveillance of disease and control.  

Core Qualifications

• Well-developed skills in epidemiological research and presentation
• Knowledge of epidemiology, infectious diseases and healthcare
• Sexual Reproductive Health Knowledge
• Technical knowledge on WASH and Nutrition
• Solid experience in the development of performance analysis and methodology

• Proficiency in use of Microsoft office suite and Epi info.
• Strong data collection, analysis, and report writing skills required.
• Independent, analytic and take initiative in solving problems.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• A strong team player with excellent interpersonal skills
• Possesses ability to work with group of people of diverse backgrounds
• Public Health Technical Skills

Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Switzerland Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Course 2019

OTHER PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS  

• 2020 Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) for Novel CoronaVirus (COVID 19) World Health Organization Health Emergencies Programs
• 2020 Let’s Break the Chain of COVID 19 Infection Course

           The Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences

• 2019 John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• 2019 The British Project Management Academy   Project Management Certification

(Global Health Learning)  Monitoring and Evaluation Certificate.

Executing “a well-informed adolescent” campaign in a hard to reach community like Yala was difficult getting volunteers. We had to source from those undergoing their compulsory National Youths Service Corps Scheme (NYSC) in the area, using the avenue gave us volunteers of different sociocultural and religious background. During volunteers’ orientation where we explicitly explain the purpose and goals of the campaign to the enlisted volunteers, we realized there were among the volunteers those who strongly believe young people including them shouldn’t have access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)/contraceptives because they felt it will give such young people access to early sex initiation.

I had to make use of International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education provided by UNESCO to organize volunteers training/mind reformation. This served a guide for me where I was able to analyze each volunteers varying views on CSE and treated them with evidence based results and answers, highlighting misconceptions about CSE, and enlightening the volunteers as well. This made our volunteers the first beneficiaries of CSE, and we all became one-glad-team of knowledge/capacity to work together on the project, improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes, promoted safe/gender equitable learning environments, and improved education access&achievement even for our volunteers.

Through my leadership role in A Well-Informed Adolescent Initiative, it was my responsibility to initiate  community partnerships, last-mile networking towards an affirmative action in solving the problem of lack of Comprehensive Sexuality Education(CSE) for youths, providing age-appropriate/phased-education about Sexual-Reproductive-Health/Rights and gender-mainstreaming for last-mile young people in Calabar Municipal and also creating gender safe-spaces to solve/address gender-related sexual health/rights issues like gender-based violence, gender inequality, early/unintended pregnancies.  I had go visit community leaders, age grade group head to explain our project to them and seek their permission this was what we call community entry. In one of the visit the community leader we met insisted that our training would only give young people liberty to become promiscuous, I did my best to let him see that what he highlighted were just misconception associated with comprehensive sexuality education and not facts. I painted a scenarios of young pregnant girls who drop out of schools as a result of unintended pregnancy that what would have prevent that in the first place was access to information and that what we bring do not ridicule culture it is culturally sensitive and we also help highlight aspect of the culture that is harmful only.

Our innovative approach include having young people our beneficiaries as part of the program designing team. We are not just by standers but rather contributors to the solutions we design. Another approach is using multisectoral programs that links health to recreational activities.

Lastly our social support system that is our safe space a place where young people can come and discuss without fear or prejudice

Our theory of change lies on our layering of intervention. This
fundamental approach Identified the problems and based on research from
related fields demonstrating that addressing multiple needs of young
people have greater impact on the risk behaviors  than any single
intervention

Currently we are serving more than 1500 adolescents

In one year we hope to serve 2000 adolescents

In five years we should have serve 6000 young people

To establish more safe spaces where strong social networks such as relationship with peers and adults who can offer emotional support, information and material assistance to these youths. Likewise the center will serve as location for most of our programs.

Another goal is to leverage on technology to produce digital tools like apps and website that are youth friendly and tailored specifically to the various needs of adolescents. This will help us to increase our reach and beneficiaries.

To kick start a National Youth Club that will use music, drama and entertainment to change the mindset of young people in Nigeria as regards honesty, earning legally, hard work. It aims to help young people develop a national value and be more conscious about doing the right thing.

Majorly resources and technical support has been the challenges, considering us being a youth organization access to funds is very challenging and we do not have a key player organization to partner with or recommend us.

Nonetheless, with support from other youth focus donor organization we have been able to do what we have been doing till now but we know we can do more if there are resources and funds.

I hope being selected for The Elevate Prize will shine a spotlight on what we do and this will definitely lead to more supports that come along the way, also this will create a multiplier effect that will allow us to easily scale our work, impact more lives, and inspire others to tackle

issues in their own communities—igniting a chain reaction of goodness

across the world. Which is what this award is all about.

Actionaid Nigeria

We for Good International

Cuso International

Youth Training Hub Africa

For The Safe Space Building we seek project grants of $30,000

Resources and technical supports.

If selected the prize award will go along way to actualize our 5 years goals in two years. Likewise access to Professional management and development services, mentorship and coaching, educational training, capacity building, and connection with influencers, industry leaders, and experts through Elevate Prize Foundation’s two-year program will surely help us to build capacity in reviewing and updating our organization profile and branding it appropriately.

Additionally a tailored media and marketing campaign aimed at amplifying our work, building recognition and a fan base around what we do we go along way in putting us on the spotlight which is a very opportunity to inspire others to contribute to the public good.