Donor: ActionAid Zambia (SIDA) 

Overview

The HAAYZ project was implemented in the Mazabuka and Petauke districts of southern province and eastern province respectively (Phase 1) Katete and Chadiza (Phase 2) districts of Eastern Province. The project addressed the critical issue of teenage pregnancies in the region, by focusing on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Additionally, HAAYZ aimed to generate evidence to advocate for improved policies, programs, and interventions that prevent teenage pregnancies, promote comprehensive sexuality education, and enhance access to SRHR services for young people in the area, guided by two key objectives. 

Objectives

Phase 1 

1. To improve adolescent and young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in Mazabuka and Petauke districts.

Phase 2 

1. To empower communities and healthcare providers to actively engage in sexual reproductive health (SRH) policy initiatives and improve youth health accessibility in Katete and Chadiza Districts of Eastern Province. 

2. Exploring the effectiveness of peer education programs in addressing adolescent pregnancies and accessibility of health services by young people in the Eastern Province of Zambia.

Impact

• Trained 60 health peer educators as advocates for SRHR.
• Empowered 13,247 adolescents and young people with vital SRHR knowledge in schools and communities.
• Reached 1013 people through community dialogues and awareness campaigns targeting community members, parents, and adolescents.
• Conducted 13 community dialogue meetings for community leaders and gatekeepers on SRHR-related policies.
• 43 community gatekeepers were trained as champions on SRHR.
• Successfully conducted onsite capacity building for 21 healthcare providers on values clarification and attitude transformation and the adolescent health toolkit.
• Conducted 10 SRHR sessions and 6 radio programs.
• Overall 11,779 IEC  materials of SRHR messages were distributed.
• Situational analysis of peer education programming and existing policies related to SRH, education, and gender equality in Zambia.
• Disseminated results to key stakeholders and collaborating partners in the civil society organisation space.

Time frame: 2020 – 2024 (phase 1 & 2)
Thematic area: Health and Wellbeing