Nyeri Youth Health Project

The programme used interpersonal communication to involve young parents, relying on them to reach out to peers (adult community members), teachers, and young people. The strategy involved creating a community-designed, culturally consistent programme to guide youth on sexuality-related issues. It was based on the belief that a responsive community can aptly meet young people's need for reproductive health information.

In short, the project trained young parents to be “friends of youth” (FOYs) by providing young people with guidance on sexuality-related issues. To initiate this process, community members select respected and well-known young parents, who are then trained by Family Planning Association of Kenya. The trainers used a curriculum called "Life Planning Skills for Young People in Kenya" to improve FOYs’ knowledge and skills related to values, community, adolescent development, sexuality, gender roles, relationships, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV and AIDS, harmful traditional practices, substance use, children’s rights, and advocacy.

Each FOY was assigned a specific geographic area where about 300 adolescents live. While they were responsible for activities in their own area, they also work cooperatively in pairs or small groups to complement and promote each other’s skills. Trained FOYs then conducted activities with existing youth groups and/or form new youth groups; they also worked with young people individually. FOYs encouraged youth to delay the initiation of sex and encouraged sexually experienced youth to reduce sexual risk-taking behaviour. They also provided referral of youth for youth-friendly sexual health services.

In addition, FOYs worked with adult members of the community in an effort to encourage positive attitudes and to try to create a positive climate within which to address adolescent sexual health issues. FOYs also worked with schools in an effort to help teachers better communicate with youth about sexual health. Part of the project focused on training local doctors, clinicians, and chemists to make sexual health services youth-friendly.

Youth, Sexual and Reproductive Health.