Xari Africa academy

In most parts of Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria, Sexual and reproductive health is still considered a taboo. The lack of adequate and quality care, education and resources leaves adolescent girls at risk of diseases, and even death. 

Nigeria holds nine per cent of the global HIV disease burden, making it the second-largest in the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about seven Nigerian women die every hour from pregnancy-related causes, the United Nations, and the World Bank maintains that Nigeria accounts for 19 per cent of maternal deaths worldwide.

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Adolescents are largely described as “young people between the age of 10 and 19 years”, and are characterized by series of physiological, psychological and social changes that expose them to risk-taking sexual behaviour such as early sex experimentation, unsafe sex and multiple sexual partners.

Statistics in Nigeria have shown that among adolescents, RHS coverage rates are low, new HIV infection rates are high, contraception usage is low and pregnancy rates are high. Although, the abortion law and policy in Nigeria prohibits legal access to legal abortion services, about 1.25 million commit induced abortion yearly by unskilled providers and many have serious complications without obtaining the post abortion care needed 

A continued restricted access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education has proven to result in an increase in STIs, Teenage pregnancies, Child marriage, unsafe abortion, and even death among young people. 

Sexual and Reproductive Health is a human rights and the lack of access to comprehensive sex education  is a direct violation of  that right.

Drawing from an understanding of the needs of  adolescent girls in Nigeria, The Xari Africa academy is Africa’s first Sexual and Reproductive Health online academy leveraging the power of youth and technology to improve access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) education. 

Using our unique Youth-led Co-creation approach, —Young medical professionals, SRHR and public health practitioners, and young leaders globally can apply to become instructors who will co-create bite-sized video courses based on curriculum and lesson plans verified by implementing partners. Every course will start with a fun fact, transition into an engaging lecture, and conclude with written quizzes. Through the #LearnToShare campaign, young people will be engaged as active citizens—SRHR actors, activists, and advocates—and tasked with the responsibility of not just learning, but sharing their knowledge on SRHR in their local communities, thereby creating a ripple effect and expanding our reach to adolescents in grassroots communities with limited access to internet or mobile services. 

FEATURES: 1.Digital Platform: An online platform accessible to all, providing resources, courses, and interactive sessions on Sexual and Reproductive Health. 2.Inclusive Content: Tailored content for adolescent girls, parents, and teachers. 3.Free Video Courses and transcripts 4.Collaboration with Experts: Partnering with health professionals and educators to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the content. 5.Helpline/Chatbot to speak with a medical professional safely and privately 6.Games and quizzes with prizes and incentives 7.Safe community for young girls Xariaafricaacademy.org

Adolescents are largely described as “young people between the age of 10 and 19 years”, and are characterized by series of physiological, psychological and social changes that expose them to risk-taking sexual behaviour such as early sex experimentation, unsafe sex and multiple sexual partners.

Statistics in Nigeria have shown that among adolescents, RHS coverage rates are low, new HIV infection rates are high, contraception usage is low and pregnancy rates are high. 

Although, the abortion law and policy in Nigeria prohibits legal access to legal abortion services, about 1.25 million commit induced abortion yearly by unskilled providers and many have serious complications without obtaining the post abortion care needed. 

By creating an online repository of SRHR resources, and engaging young people as advocates, we  are creating a ripple effect on adolescents in the most vulnerable parts of northern Nigeria whom we otherwise would not be able to reach in good time. 

Although adolescents are the primary target, the advocates through the #LearnToShare initiative will serve as intermediaries, helping us reach more people in shorter time with SRHR education and resources. 

Since inception in 2018 and Registration in 2021, Xari Africa—-Which was created as a direct response to Efe Johnson’s experience with period poverty and shaming——has worked in the most vulnerable communities in Kaduna and some parts of the FCT, Nigeria, to provide free access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Services, Rights and Education for adolescents school girls via grassroot outreaches, school tours, and the creation of educational materials like “Just period it”, a  fun guide to understanding menstruation which has now taught 1500 school girls to calculate their menstrual cycles for the first time. 

Drawing from a firsthand understanding of the needs of adolescent girls, XariAfrica has evolved from being a one-off project to distribute sanitary pads, to an organization that creates books and other materials on SRHR, and now, an online SRHR academy. 

By creating Xari Africa Academy, we are amplifying our existing efforts to end the stigma associated with Sexual and Productive Health, and improve access to education and resources. 

“Just period it” 2500 copies delivered 

XariAfrica (as an NGO) over 6000 girls reached 

XariAfrica academy 500 beta testers 

Since the directive from the Ministry of Education to expunge sex education from the basic curriculum, the Minister maintained that the responsibility of educating adolescents on sexual health is to be placed on parents and religious leaders.This is a faulty directive, given that SRHR is largely stigmatized especially by parents and religious leaders, who are also largely unaware of the realities and challenges of ASH, and unequipped to teach it.

Be creating an online repository of SRH resources, and training youth advocates, 

we are amplifying our existing efforts to end the stigma associated with Sexual and Productive Health, and improve access to education and resources. 

Using our unique Youth-led Co-creation approach, —Young medical professionals, SRHR and public health practitioners, and young leaders globally can apply to become instructors who will co-create bite-sized video courses based on curriculum and lesson plans verified by implementing partners. 

Through the #LearnToShare campaign, young people will be engaged as active citizens—SRHR actors, activists, and advocates—and tasked with the responsibility of not just learning, but sharing their knowledge on SRHR in their local communities, thereby creating a ripple effect and expanding our reach to adolescents in grassroots communities with limited access to internet or mobile services. 

1. To leverage technology in providing comprehensive and accurate Sexual and Reproductive Health Education to adolescents, parents, teachers, and religious leaders, thereby creating a safe and inclusive environment for informed decision-making.

2. SDG Target 3.7; Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.

3. provide girls with free Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Services, Education and Resources that will help keep them in school, minimize deaths and diseases, improve quality of life and break the taboo cycle around sexual and reproductive issues in Africa. 

1. Safe and informed decision Making: Access to accurate information will empower individuals with knowledge and autonomy to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.

2. Improved bodily autonomy and destigmatization of sexual health via; access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education. 

3. Decrease in rates of teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV and AIDS, and other life threatening SRH problems.

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XariAfrica (NGO): 6 years

XariAfrica (Academy): 1 year 

Equitable, diverse, and inclusive representation at all levels within the organization, with zero tolerance for discrimination based on race, gender identity, or disability. 

1. Training and development; deliver trainings and develop young people into advocates via contracts or partnership with organizations, schools,  and/or government. 

2. Provide a platform for hosting educational content for hospitals, medical professionals and other organizations. 

3. Deliver SRH education and resources to adolescents across Africa 

Service subsidization: 

1. Continued sale of books and other materials to schools and individuals. 

2. Sell sponsorship slots to medical professionals or hospitals for courses on the academy. 

3. Deliver trainings to organizations