As promised, CHOICE would like to introduce you to our new partner in our International Capacity Building program!
In the first week of February, CHOICErs Margo and Merel went to Kenya to visit three potential partners. During the visits, they spoke about the expectations of the potential partnership, the needs of the organization and the possible contribution of CHOICE. Based on these visits, Margo and Merel formulated an advice to CHOICE about which partner they thought would fit CHOICE the best. Right after the visit to Kenya, there was a meeting with all CHOICE youth advocates where it was decided that NAYA would be CHOICE’s new partner for the coming years!
NAYA (Network for Adolescents and Youth of Africa) is an independent organization, which consists of NAYA members (5 staff and 40 volunteers) and 34 member organizations. The mission of NAYA is to advocate for the promotion of adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health through dissemination of information and championing their rights at national and community level. The activities of NAYA can be divided into three areas: advocacy, capacity building, and awareness raising.
Margo and Merel’s visit to NAYA consisted of four different parts: an introduction to NAYA, an awareness raising puppetry show, a meeting with 8 representatives of NAYA member organizations and a meeting with 4 staff members of NAYA.
First of all, Margo and Merel got a small introduction to NAYA at the office. They then joined the NAYA staff at a puppetry awareness raising show in Mathare, which is a large slum in Nairobi. Before the actual puppetry show started, the community of Mathare was mobilized by playing loud music and dancing, to encourage them to attend the show. Merel and Margo were also strong mobilizing forces because of their light skin color.
NAYA works together with a group of puppetry players. They connect this group with one of their member organizations who facilitates the show (logistics, community safety, etc.). In these shows different topics are being raised like condom use, HIV/AIDS testing, and relations between men and women. The audience laughed a lot and was really engaged during the show through being asked questions about how they would handle certain situations. The audience consisted of people of different age categories, mostly between the age of 5 and 40. There was also a lot of youth present which is NAYA’s target group in this activity. The show reached approximately 150-200 people, of which some watched the whole time and others were walking in and out. Normally, shows like this are held during weekends or holidays because it is more likely that youth present are present at those times.
After the puppetry show, the NAYA staff and Merel and Margo went back to the office where they were able to have a more in-depth conversation about the organization, starting with a meeting with 8 representatives of member organizations of NAYA. During this meeting, Margo and Merel got more insight in the functioning of the network, the strengths, the weaknesses and the possibilities for CHOICE to contribute to the network. Finally, there was a meeting with 4 staff members of NAYA. During the meeting Margo and Merel got to know more about the organization, the needs, the expectations and the vision on sensitive issues such as abortion. The staff showed that they were really passionate about SRHR related issues. They impressed Margo and Merel with their internal drive and their commitment to improve the situation for youth in Kenya. They presented themselves as strong advocates!
All in all CHOICE is very much looking forward to building up a strong partnership with NAYA during the coming years!
