Youth & Adolescent Reproductive Health Network - Western Rural District

Western Rural District Stakeholders Embraced the AY-Mechanism

In an engagement meeting with stakeholders in Western Area Rural District, on Wednesday, 3rd April 2024. Adolescents and Youth (AY) Mechanism engaged district stakeholders to formally introduce and make familiar the structure and the Terms of Reference with the AY-Mechanism in the district. The engagement was held at the District Health Management Team (DHMT) Office in Waterloo, Western Area Rural District.

The AY-Mechanism is a consortium of youth led and serving organizations working on youth and adolescents sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The Mechanism was established to strengthen the collective capacity of Adolescents and Youth serving organizations and other agencies to accelerate better and greater investment in AY Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH).

In her statement the District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr. Sylvia S.Y Fasuluku expressed her unwavering commitment to work with the Mechanism to promote youth and adolescents sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for the well-being of young people in the rural district.

She further expressed that young people are drivers of change. She emphasized that working with young people to mitigate the issues of SRHR will be easier to tackle. She assured the AY-Mechanism that her Management Team will be committed to work hand in hand with the AY-Mechanism.

The Sexual Reproductive Health and Family Planning Focal Point (DHMT) Sis. Mariama Kanu was delighted for the initiative and the structures put in place. She assured that mechanism that, as the Focal Point, the Mechanism will fully have her support and commitment towards the affected issues of SRHR in the rural district.

The Gender Focal Point, Western Area Rural District Council (WARD.C) Cllr. Marie Kamara said that she is very happy for the exciting initiative of young people. She furthered that there are a lot of gaps in relation to SRHR. She assured the Mechanism that WARD.C is committed and she will be the stepping-stone for the mechanism in the council.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr. Joseph Rogers applauded the initiative. He threw light on the sustainability of the mechanism. He emphasized that the mechanism should not only target stakeholders, but taking to schools to increase the awareness raising. He continued that; this will be an opportunity for the mechanism to involve on the monthly meetings of the council to get data of SRHR.

He concluded that, the initiative is a laudable one; and there should be a need to be part of the planning process.

One of the Founding Members Madam Christiana M. Bangura thanked stakeholders for attending the meeting and she hopes to work with stakeholders in the district.

____________
©Advocacy & Communication Officer, YARHNNeT

YARHNNET-WARD MEETS WITH THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR OF WESTERN AREA RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL

Youth and Adolescent Reproductive Health and Nutrition Network (YARHNNET) has on Friday, 22 September 2023 paid a courtesy visitation to the Chief Administrator of Western Area Rural District Council, Waterloo. The team was led by the District Coordinator, Christian Magdalene Bangura, accompanied by the Advocacy and Communications Officer, Amb. Ibrahim John Sesay and a prominent personality from Health Alert Sierra Leone, Patrick Pokawa.

The main purpose of the visitation is to advocate to the rural district council to; allocate percentage (%) for Youth and Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health in their upcoming annual budget deliberations. The visitation however, stands as a testament towards Sierra Leone's unwavering commitment to fulfill and contribute to FP2030 and sexual reproductive health and nutrition right.

In his respond, the Chief Administrator, Raman Tom Farma, warmly welcomed and appreciates the team for the timely visitation and bring such notification to the council. He said it's rather unfortunate that the categories mentioned were not part of the primary health care deliveries. He urged the team to start the advocacy at the national level.

However, Patrick Pokawa from Health Alert Sierra Leone, bring the attention of the Chief Administrator that, there is an upcoming campaign which titles: “Council Friday Initiative”; the initiative will laid solid foundation for local councils to prioritize and nurturing youth and adolescent through by empowering them with the necessary tools needed to influence decision-making.

‘The Council Friday Initiative’, will further seek a call for action to local councils in Sierra Leone, as the annual budget deliberations and planning session will soon commence, it rings into the minds of Sierra Leoneans about the unwavering commitment of youth and adolescence coalitions like YARHNNET, Health Alert to stand at the forefront to influence local councils to prioritize Adolescent and Youth and Sexual Reproductive Health (AYSRH) and family planning (FP).

Moreover, the campaign will also contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3; universal health courage.

The meeting was climaxed with a distribution of one leaf of paper in the said part of the budget that resonates in the C. part, which talks about health and sanitation.

©️Advocacy and Communications Officer,
YARHNNET-WARD