What we do

Research and Advocacy

The Research and Advocacy program is crafted to address challenging issues related to Adolescents and Youth Health and Well-being, with a special focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), education, gender equality, socio-economic empowerment, and meaningful youth participation in policy and decision-making, civic engagement, and leadership. In essence, the program is designed to be a dynamic and responsive force for positive change, addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by adolescents and youth in Rwanda.

 

Key Components:

 

Ground Evidence Research

 

AfriYAN Rwanda places a strong emphasis on evidence-based advocacy to drive meaningful change for adolescents and youth. Through comprehensive research initiatives, we aim to identify and understand the pressing issues affecting the well-being of young individuals in Rwanda. Our research methodologies include quantitative and qualitative approaches, ensuring a holistic understanding of the challenges faced.

 

Our research agenda encompasses topics such as:

• Adolescents and Youth Health: Investigating the current state of health services accessible to young individuals, with a particular focus on SRHR.
• Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE): Exploring barriers to quality sexuality education in and out of schools and proposing interventions for improvement.
• Gender Equality: Assessing the status of gender equality, with special attention to empowering girls and young women and promoting positive masculinity from boyhood.
• Socio-economic Empowerment: Investigating opportunities and challenges related to unemployment, economic empowerment for adolescents and youth.
• Youth Participation: Analyzing the extent and effectiveness of youth involvement in policy and decision-making processes. 

 

 

Our Views, Our Voices

  

AfriYAN Rwanda believes in amplifying the views and voices of adolescents and youth from the grassroots level. Working closely with our member organizations, we engage with adolescents and youth from the community level throughout Rwanda. Through regular interventions, we facilitate open dialogues, collect diverse perspectives, and ensure that the unique experiences and challenges faced by youth are heard.

 

How do we do this?

• Interactive Workshops: Conducting workshops to educate and empower young individuals on issues related to health, education, gender equality, and civic engagement.
• Focus Group Discussions: Creating safe spaces for adolescents and youth to express their views, share experiences, and contribute to advocacy initiatives.
• Community Youth Forum: A youth-led and community-driven approach built on the Community Score Card Model serving as a safe space for adolescents and youth and crafted to leverage their power and potential in addressing their identified specific needs.

 

 

Youth-led Advocacy

 

Streamlining the voices of adolescents and youth into a cohesive advocacy agenda is a cornerstone of AfriYAN Rwanda's mandate. By synthesizing the findings from ground-level engagement and research, we develop targeted advocacy initiatives that can create a desired sustainable change.

 

Our advocacy initiatives and efforts include:

• Policy Recommendations: Presenting evidence-based policy recommendations to policymakers and government agencies.
• Media Campaigns: Leveraging various media channels to raise awareness about critical issues affecting adolescents and youth.
• Collaboration with Stakeholders: Building strategic partnerships with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to amplify the impact of our advocacy efforts.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Continuously assessing the effectiveness of advocacy initiatives and adapting strategies for optimal impact.

Power2Youth: Youth Capacity!

A designed capacity building programme for Youth-led Organizations and Young Leaders.

 

AfriYAN Rwanda advances the investment into the holistic functional capacity of its member organizations to ensure quality interventions for adolescents and youth at the community level. Strengthen and harmonize adolescents and youth friendly approaches to respond to their specific needs. This program is a holistic approach to empowering youth-led organizations and young leaders from public and private platforms, ensuring they are well-equipped with knowledge, skills and resources to address the diverse needs of adolescents and youth in Rwanda in their full diversities.

 

Components:

 

Functional Capacity

 

AfriYAN Rwanda recognizes that the effectiveness of youth-led organizations is directly tied to the capacity of their staff. Our Holistic Functional Capacity Building program is designed to empower key staff members with the skills, knowledge, and tools necessary for impactful interventions.

 

Our capacity-building approaches include:

• Training Workshops: Conducting workshops on leadership, project management, and other relevant skills to enhance the capabilities of staff members.
• Mentorship Programs: Establishing mentorship relationships between experienced professionals and staff members to provide guidance and support.
• Technical Skill Development: Offering specialized training in areas such as research methodologies, advocacy strategies, and community engagement.

 

Resource Mobilization

 

To ensure the sustainability of youth-led organizations, AfriYAN Rwanda actively mobilizes resources for its member organizations. By securing financial support, in-kind contributions, and partnerships, we enable these organizations to implement impactful projects that directly benefit adolescents and youth.

 

Our Resource Mobilizations strategies include:

• Grant Writing Workshops: Providing training on effective grant writing and proposal development.
• Networking Events: Facilitating opportunities for member organizations to connect with potential donors, partners, and sponsors.
• Diversification of Funding Sources: Assisting organizations in identifying and tapping into a variety of funding streams to reduce dependency on a single source.

 

Youth Leadership Development

 

AfriYAN Rwanda recognizes the pivotal role that young leaders play in driving positive change in society. Our Youth Leadership Development program aims to identify, nurture, and empower young leaders from different public and private platforms to become catalysts of youth empowerment and development.

 

Our Youth Leadership development initiatives include:

• Leadership Camp Programs: Offering workshops and training sessions focused on developing leadership skills, effective communication, and strategic thinking.
• Networking Opportunities: Facilitating connections between young leaders and established professionals to foster mentorship and collaboration.
• Recognition and Awards: Acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of outstanding young leaders who contribute significantly to the well-being of adolescents and youth.