The Indi-Genius Podcast Series for SRHR

Despite the Sustainable Development Goals calling for countries to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services for all people by 2030, young people particularly those in LMICs, continue to bear the brunt of inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. Young people in LMICs continue to experience a high rate of SRHR challenges such as adolescent pregnancies, unsafe abortions, HIV/AIDs, and numerous Sexually Transmitted Infections. Current estimations by UNAIDS suggest that over 40% of all new HIV infections occur among youths aged 15 to 25 years, and according to WHO, 21 million teenage girls in LMICs aged 15-19 years become pregnant annually, therefore highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive SRHR information and services for young people.

According to the National Population Commission in Nigeria, 23% of girls aged 15 to 19 have already begun childbearing. Nigeria also has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy with 106 adolescent births per 1000 population. Recent estimates from the Nigeria AIDS Control Agency (NACA) puts the number of adolescents aged 10-19 years living with AIDS to be 160,000. All these statistics point out the immense need for localized health interventions and SMARTer strategies that respond to the local context and leverage youth expertise.

Globally, there is an acknowledgment of the need to shift power dynamics from the global North to the global South and prioritize local knowledge. There remains a gap in learning exchange from local SRHR experts to the global community. How can we ensure that SRHR interventions are adequately designed to meet the needs of the people they’re intended to serve? This involves rethinking the language and approach of our interventions. Indigenous SRHR leaders must be provided with opportunities to share their knowledge and discuss best practices with other SRHR experts. To achieve equity in SRHR professionals’ access to and use of information, we must provide meaningful learning opportunities that prioritize and harness indigenous knowledge. By doing this, we will create inclusive, responsive, and sustainable systems.

The Indi-Genius Podcast Series addresses the lack of comprehensive and contextualized sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and limited implementation of best practices in youth health. Too often, interventions are implemented with approaches that are not locally-grounded, either in regard to the lack of use of local language or lack of consideration of sociocultural dynamics that impact young people's access. Our solution directly addresses the problem of limited access to SRHR knowledge and the lack of information on local best practices by providing a platform for young people to engage in open dialogue, access information, and bring about systems change using languages and experiences that they understand. By sharing the stories and lessons of grassroots youth SRHR practitioners, we aim to bridge the existing gaps in culturally-relevant interventions and promote the implementation of more effective and responsive SRHR programs for young people.

The Indi-Genius podcast series is a multi-lingual audio and video podcast series that documents and shares the knowledge and real-life stories of young indigenous SRHR leaders in Nigeria while facilitating knowledge exchange and improving the quality of and access to SRHR information, commodities, and services. The podcast was launched in May 2022 to strengthen the capacity and engagement of young people in developing and implementing local solutions that address their sexual and reproductive health needs. The goal is to improve the SRHR outcomes of young people by addressing root causes and barriers to SRHR care while enabling young people’s meaningful and inclusive participation in SRHR.

Our Indi-Genius podcast series engages local young SRHR leaders in Nigeria as storytellers while developing their skills in SRHR knowledge sharing, how to work with key stakeholders including government officials, and how to use social media effectively to advance SRHR goals.  Experience has shown that when youth participate at the helm of developmental programs, it increases the relevance, acceptability, and attractiveness with their peers. Hence there is power in local youth knowledge and, when lived experiences are shared, it brings about greater understanding of the issue, brings change and advances SRH goals. Local indigenous youth play a key role in strengthening the referral system and facilitating access to SRHR services and information. These leaders will share community-based SRHR information and stories in languages they are comfortable speaking, particularly addressing program implementation successes and failures. Topics discussed will include: girls’ education, family planning and contraceptives, reaching adolescents and youth with disabilities, young people and HIV, young people in humanitarian settings, engaging community leaders, and engaging boys and men amongst other topics selected by the project participants. 

To execute our solution, a national call for applications will be advertised on SEGEI platforms and shared across civil society networks for wider reach and visibility. There will be eligibility criteria such as age range (18 - 35 yrs), sex, area of expertise, experience, and skills. 20 champions will be selected after the screening process to record their stories and experiences working with adolescents and young people on SRH issues. These stories will then be published as audio and video podcast episodes and aired on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple, local radio stations, YouTube, and on SEGEI's website. Before the recording of the podcast, the champions will undergo capacity strengthening and training on the art of storytelling, leveraging digital platforms and technology to raise awareness and provide SRH services, and SMART advocacy. The training session will be virtual and mandatory for all participants. Participants will include young people from vulnerable populations such as albinos, people from the deaf community, people living with HIV, Internally Displaced Persons, young single mothers, etc. This will help us get community-specific stories and diverse experiences that reach key populations. By utilizing local languages, the podcast will bridge language gaps in access to SRH information and strengthen the use of information for SRH programming. Listen to episodes from the pilot phase here: https://strongenoughgirls.org/...

Our target population comprises ethnically and socially diverse young people in Nigeria, aged 18-35 years. They are underserved in several crucial ways when it comes to sexual and reproductive health services and information. Their challenges include limited access to accurate SRH information, lack of culturally relevant resources, and insufficient platforms for sharing and learning about SRH experiences. Many young people are faced with harmful cultural and social stigma that prevents them from seeking essential care and information about their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Moreover, vulnerable populations within our target group such as young people in the Albino community, young persons living with disabilities, those living with HIV/AIDS, those in the Internally Displaced Persons communities, and teenage mothers, face even more pronounced disparities and obstacles. Their unique SRH needs and experiences are often overlooked.

Our solution addresses these needs comprehensively because by engaging local indigenous champions and SRH service providers, our platform offers a space for sharing stories and experiences, particularly those of vulnerable populations. These narratives provide vital insights into the SRHR issues faced by diverse young people across Nigeria and will promote the implementation of effective interventions. Through storytelling, the podcast series disseminates relevant SRH information and strengthens advocacy for the specific needs of young people in their diversity. By leveraging the power of creative storytelling, we would engage young audiences and ensure that the information is contextual and relatable. This will in turn empower young people, enhance their awareness of SRHR, and equip them with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and well-being

The Indi-Genius podcast will provide young people with the skills and resources needed to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people by:

1) Providing comprehensive SRHR training to young leaders across Nigeria,

2) Equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use social media as a platform for disseminating accurate and relevant SRHR information,

3) Address gaps in knowledge sharing by providing a platform for young SRHR advocates from different communities across Nigeria to exchange knowledge in their local languages and ensure best practices are disseminated,

4) Connect young SRH champions to key stakeholders such as the government, community leaders, donors, and civil society organizations.

The project will help young SRHR advocates build technical and knowledge management skills to be more effective SRHR advocates. Ultimately, the project will benefit not only the leaders but also the broader community in Nigeria by ensuring that comprehensive and contextualized SRHR information reaches those who need it most. This, in turn, leads to better-informed decisions, reduced health risks, and improved sexual and reproductive health outcomes amongst young Nigerians. The Indi-Genius podcast will directly contribute to raising awareness, building skills, and providing relevant SRHR information that can significantly improve the lives of young people across Nigeria, especially those from vulnerable populations who are often left behind by existing SRHR initiatives.

SEGEI is a seven-year-old registered youth-led and youth-focused non-profit organization with a physical office in Abuja, Nigeria. Our team lead and team members comprise young Nigerian women ages 18-35, from different regions of the country who have lived experiences of how the lack of and access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) information, care, and services negatively affect adolescent girls and young women in our communities. Like many other young women in Nigeria, we are limited by structural factors, cultural and social norms as regards to fulfilling our SRHR. As such, we work with community leaders, parents, healthcare providers, schools, policymakers and other stakeholders to address these issues.

We are a 2022 winner of The Pitch for Family Planning Knowledge Management competition by Knowledge SUCCESS. Our team is experienced in working with and building the capacity of adolescent girls and young people. For the first season of the Indi-Genius podcast series, we worked with 20 male and female champions from across Nigeria and Niger, building their capacities in SRHR, storytelling and SMART advocacy. We engaged in a co-creation process for the project design with adolescent and young leaders and community partners. They asked questions, shared their ideas, made suggestions, comments and decisions on the project. As part of the sustainability plan, a monthly Instagram Live session is held with the champions as they share their achievement in promoting SRHR, the challenges they and those in their communities face, suggest possible solutions and define how the organisation can support them. Through this medium, the team is kept abreast with the evolving SRHR needs of young people in these communities and work with the champions in providing solutions.

Through the Girl Advocates for Gender Equality project (GAGE) implemented in 2021-2022, the team worked with 36 girls (ages 10-19) across the 6 geo-political zones in Nigeria as their capacities were built in leadership, advocacy, and SRHR for the advancement of gender equality, through mentorship. As a recommendation for the project, a manual for mentoring adolescent girls was designed and this took into consideration the needs of adolescent girls as the girl advocates shared their ideas on what they would want to be mentored on in terms of their health and wellbeing. The virtual platform (WhatsApp) used during the project to mentor the girls is still active as they provide feedback of their activities so far as well as their needs. 

Through our programs, we regularly engage with adolescent girls and young women in Nigeria and across Africa. Our educational program, the SEGEI Scholarship program, supports adolescent girls and young women from low-income families and communities to enroll and complete their secondary and tertiary education. We conduct regular check-ins, weekly tutorials and Comprehensive Sexuality Education training sessions with the adolescent girls. This provides them a safe space where they can receive quality information on their SRHR and share their challenges, struggles or needs without discrimination or intimidation.

The Indi-Genius podcast has received over 2600 views across our social media platforms, with a following of over 200 people on Instagram, and counting!

The Indi-Genius Podcast Series offers a transformative approach to address the urgent issues of limited access to contextualized and evidence based sexual and reproductive health and rights knowledge. It leverages existing low-cost technological tools - podcast and social media - to advance SRHR for young people. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on foreign experts, our solution stands out by putting the power in the hands of indigenous youth leaders. Through training and empowerment, we enable young people to become champions of SRHR and change agents within their local communities. This innovation recognizes the important role young people play in shaping their own health outcomes and acknowledges their unique ability to drive meaningful change.

One vital innovative aspect of the "Indi-Genius Podcast Series" is its emphasis on culture and the relevance of indigenous languages. While the world is full of SRHR information, our solution ensures that this information is accessible, relatable, and understandable, particularly to young people in rural communities in Nigeria. The podcast will be delivered in multiple Nigerian languages,  including Nigerian pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, alongside English, and can be downloaded for listening at anytime, anywhere. This prioritization of diversity in languages will catalyze broader positive impacts from others in this space by encouraging similar approach in reaching underserved populations and making SRHR information genuinely accessible to all. Our Indi-Genius innovation can change the market by introducing an appreciation for the value of indigenous languages as tools for promoting behavior change and SRH service utilization.

Furthermore, the "Indi-Genius Podcast Series" introduces a fresh approach by harnessing the art of storytelling which makes it a more engaging and relatable mode of knowledge exchange. This shift from conventional, heavily worded materials to storytelling content, enhances the impact and effectiveness of the educational process. Storytelling is a powerful tool for connecting and educating young people.

For technology, our solution leverages the potential of social media and digital technology through a podcast. We train young SRHR champions to effectively utilize social media platforms for knowledge sharing and advocacy. This approach recognizes the role of social media in the lives of young people today. By incorporating these tools, we amplify the reach and impact of our program, enhancing the efficiency of knowledge sharing.

The inclusion of young SRHR champions from vulnerable populations, including albinos, people from the deaf community, individuals living with HIV, internally displaced persons, and young single mothers is also an innovative component of our solution. This ensures that the unique SRHR needs and experiences of marginalized groups are considered and addressed. 

Finally, our innovation has the potential to change the way SRHR interventions for young people are designed and implemented. By highlighting local voices and expertise, we are making SRHR knowledge accessible and relatable to all young people, therefore enhancing their sexual and reproductive health and overall well-being.

Our impact goals are as follows:

1. Increased SRHR Knowledge: Within the next year, we aim to ensure that at least 5,000 young people in Nigeria have access to accurate and comprehensive SRHR knowledge. Over the next five years, our goal is to extend this reach to at least 50,000 young people. This will be achieved through active engagement with indigenous young SRHR leaders, youth networks, and other civil society organizations that work with young people. Also, empowering the champions with social media skills increases the reach of the podcast series.

1. Empowered SRHR Champions: Over the next year, we aim to train and empower a minimum of 50 indigenous SRHR champions. In the next five years, we aspire to elevate this number to 1,000 champions. This training includes building their capacities to utilize storytelling, social media, and advocacy to drive change in their local communities and beyond.

1. Improve inclusive SRHR information: Our goal for the next year is to have our podcast reach at least 1,000 young people from vulnerable populations, including albinos, individuals living with disabilities, those with HIV/AIDS, internally displaced persons, and young single mothers. Over the next five years, we seek to reach 10,000 young people from these marginalized groups. By sharing their stories and experiences, we aim to ensure that their unique SRHR needs are addressed.

1. Promote Cross-Generational Knowledge Exchange: Within the next year, we plan to facilitate at least 20 intergenerational dialogues between indigenous SRHR champions and global SRHR experts. In the next five years, our goal is to increase this to 100 dialogues. These dialogues aim to bridge the gap between local expertise and global change, thereby fostering a more inclusive and responsive SRHR system.

1. Scale podcast to 3 Low and Middle-Income Countries: Our aim is that the podcast series will be scaled up to include 3 LMICs in 5 years. These countries would be countries, especially in Africa, facing similar SRHR challenges. Over the next five years, we aim to establish partnerships in at least three other low- and middle-income countries to implement similar solutions.

To achieve these impact goals we would:  

• Collaborate with governmental and non-governmental organizations to expand our reach and maximize impact.

• Empower young indigenous SRHR leaders through training and ongoing support.

• Leverage social media and digital technology platforms to disseminate SRHR information widely.

• Maintain an inclusive approach by actively seeking champions from vulnerable populations.

• Build partnerships and advocate for youth-friendly policy changes to support our efforts of ensuring that the right SRHR information and services to young people across Nigeria regardless of their background, gender or location

Our solution, the "Indi-Genius Podcast Series," aims to make a real difference in the lives of young people, especially those in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, who face challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services. We believe that by taking this approach, we can have a positive impact on the problem.

We would identify and train 20 young indigenous SRHR leaders and empower them to share their knowledge and experiences using their local languages. These leaders would share stories about their successes and failures in addressing sexual and reproductive health issues in their communities.  The use of their local languages would make the information relatable and engaging to other young persons like them.

In 2022 when the Indi-Genius podcast was launched, the podcast series garnered 2,600 listens across podcast streaming platforms and Instagram. We hope to double these listens by scaling up the initiative. Through the podcast, we hope to increase young people's knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, and empower them to make informed decisions. Participants of the pilot project reported significant changes/progress in their SRHR awareness, network, and advocacy knowledge and skills.

This innovation leverages low-cost technology via podcasting and social media to reach a broader audience. This approach allows us to share the information widely and engage young people who spend most of their time on social media.

By recruiting and training young SRHR leaders to tell their stories and advocate for the implementation of best practices, the Indi-Genius podcast will create a positive change in the SRHR outcomes of young people, reducing issues like teenage pregnancies, HIV infections, and limited access to SRH services. We believe that by empowering young people with knowledge, skills and engaging them in conversations about SRHR, they will be better equipped to advocate their needs and access the services that they require.

We don't just want to raise awareness; we aim to build skills, share knowledge, and empower young people to make informed SRHR decisions and utilize services. This way, we believe we can create a lasting impact on the problem and contribute to healthier and more equitable societies, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Full-time staff = 4

Part-time staff = 1

Volunteers = 15

One year plus

Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into our work is a fundamental commitment. It also reflects in the core components of our solution, the Indi-Genius Podcast Series. We recognize the significant impact that diversity brings to our work and understand that it is essential to reflect the communities we aim to serve.

SEGEI is a youth and women-led organization, and our leadership team is composed of young women between 18-35 years, from diverse backgrounds and cultures in Nigeria.  Over the years, we have been able to harness each team member’s unique viewpoints and experiences to strengthen our organization. We actively work to ensure that our leadership team represents the diversity of the communities we serve.

Our team's goals for becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive are multi-faceted. First, we emphasize the importance of diverse representation within our organization, recognizing the significance of inclusivity in leadership roles. This involves the inclusion of young people from marginalized backgrounds and communities as staff members and volunteers. We also build their capacities to advocate for themselves and for young people's sexual and reproductive health needs.

We prioritize understanding and respecting the culture of the communities we serve. We encourage open dialogue with community stakeholders to understand their different cultural practices, beliefs, and traditions, ensuring that our programs are culturally appropriate and respectful.

Furthermore, equitable access to sexual and reproductive health information and services is at the core of our mission as we are committed to addressing disparities in access, particularly for vulnerable populations. This includes young people with disabilities, those living with HIV, and other marginalized groups who often face significant challenges in accessing SRH services.

We also regularly seek input and feedback from our participants and target communities to understand their unique needs. We do this through organizing co-creation events before the start of our projects. This allows us to correctly assess the needs of our participants and adapt their suggestions into our programs to ensure their continued sustainability and inclusivity.

Our approach also extends to collaborative partnerships with local organizations, experts, and influencers who have extensive experience in working with young people from diverse communities. These partnerships enrich our knowledge and extend our reach to underserved groups.

We believe that by fully embracing these principles, we can create an equitable and inclusive space for young people to access crucial sexual and reproductive health information and services. Our commitment to diversity and inclusivity is an ongoing journey, and we are dedicated to continuous improvement in this regard.

Strong Enough Girls’ Empowerment Initiative (SEGEI) employs a market intermediary business model whereby we provide personal, academic, and professional skills development to adolescent girls and young African and Black women professionals through our Girls Education Program and Evolve Mentorship Program (EMP) to enable them access opportunities in the corporate and global market space. Black women continue to be underrepresented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields in higher education and are less likely to have access to senior leaders who can help advance their careers. They also remain underrepresented in political offices across the world. 

These statistics emphasize the critical need for mentorship programs aimed at supporting African and Black women in overcoming the challenges and disparities they encounter in both their personal lives and professional careers. The EMP connects emerging African/Black female professionals to seasoned career women who provide tailored mentorship through regular and structured in-person and virtual meetings. We do this through a call for applications across the diaspora, a vetting process to identify commitment to the objectives of the mentorship program, and a structured mentorship curriculum and community throughout the year. The program is offered at a highly subsidized rate to ensure that marginalized women and those from low socio-economic strata have access to the information and quality network that they need to thrive and be economic contributors to society. Revenue generated from the EMP is used to pay the organization’s operating expenses, cover program costs, and support the Girls Education Program by providing scholarships and school supplies for girls in secondary and tertiary institutions. The EMP is managed by a Program Coordinator and a team of volunteer mentors. Other programs of the organization, including our SRHR programs in-school and communities are offered free of charge with funding support from philanthropic donors.

While SEGEI presently exists as a non-profit organization, our goal is to create differentiated and innovative income pathways that enable SEGEI to continue to sustainably empower girls and women while advancing girl child education. In the next year, we plan to register the SEGEI Innovation and Research Initiative (SIRI) as a social enterprise to support our non-profit work. This initiative will seek to provide market value for women and girls from indigent community through the market intermediary business model which we have developed to help provide global market opportunities for locally developed art and craft work. By creating such value, we believe that rural female artisans will be economically empowered to drive sustainable developments within their local community, support their girl children education and support their homes, bridging the economic gap that leads to gender-based violence.

This initiative will also explore the research, innovation and knowledge management gap in the adolescent health, maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health space by supporting institutions to deliver large scale research, provide strategic guidance on research project management and strengthening the data management systems in this areas. 

SIRI will also engage private sector companies to design and deploy innovative sexual and reproductive health products that are locally scripted to meet the needs of our local communities while maintaining affordability and accessibility.

While we will continue to strengthen the EVOLVE Mentorship program which has made massive impact in the lives of black female professionals across the globe, we look forward to deploying our innovative education exchange program for female students which is designed to provide a platform for young female students from Africa to interact with their counterparts in the western world, facilitating the exchange of ideas, building relationships and exposing them to global opportunities.

In the last seven years, SEGEI has enjoyed massive support from individual and corporate organizations which has ensured the sustenance of our free girl child education program. We will continue to engage in fundraising programs and apply for grants from government and philanthropic donors while we build these systems for sustainability.