A disability Youth Champion, and a voice of Inclusion in Gatsibo.

Moses, equipped with zeal and resolve, is set out on a quest to increase and raise awareness about SRHR among his fellow youths and elders.?

Moses, as a youth with disability despite his challenges, had a strong drive to see change and an intense belief in the power of transformation in SRH education. His journey began with a simple realization: the lack of awareness and access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services was a pressing issue affecting his community in Gatsibo District, in the eastern part of Rwanda.?

During the community assembly, he proposes dialogues and interactive sessions to spark conversations on?? some of the pressing challenges in the community, including reproductive health among youth, family planning, and gender equality.?

The community assemblies usually convene every Tuesday in most cells of the country, and the people in those cells meet to discuss different issues in their cell. Moses, one of the members of the JMC (Joint Monitoring Committee) in Gatsibo opted to raise awareness in his cell. Being a young person with disability, Moses found it difficult to be given a platform to spread awareness, particularly on SRH issues, which are still taboo in society.

Gatsibo is one of the districts in Rwanda with the highest number of teenage pregnancies, although there has been a significant drop from 800 to 518 in the past 10 months, an achievement due to enhanced knowledge sharing on sexual, reproductive, and health rights. However, there is still a significant knowledge gap within the community regarding their understanding of SRH rights.?

As a result of an established baseline data, the Make Way Program introduced an innovative approach that brings together parents, children, and the community at scale to discuss sexual reproductive health and rights among individuals’ youth within the community (JMC). JMC is a pool of youth champions with a diverse background and was formed to follow up and advocate for the issues that have been raised, propose solutions, and influence them towards respective decision-makers.?

Resistance and understanding on SRH.?

Whenever they met, Moses encountered criticism and resistance. Many used to see SRHR as a taboo topic that should be left unspoken. People looked down on him and found it unusual and were not focusing on what he was saying, but later, once the leader gave him space in the assembly, people began to at least pay attention to what he was saying and even began to ask him clarifications.?

"I would like to thank JMC Gatsibo. Before we had no information about reproductive health and other health services given to the youth. we were always lonely because we didn't know how to get out of it, but I appreciate it because now where we are, I am very happy, and we don't want to go back as in the past. I am really grateful that I can contribute in my community, VSO Rwanda and Make Way have supported me through numerous training, I am now able to share knowledge and skills to our parents and fellow youth in Gatsibo." Moses said.?

With each passing day, some of the parents who have children with disabilities understood that even youth with disabilities have the same rights as others, especially the right to SRH services. Moses witnessed a transformation taking root within his community.?

Many people, including youth, understood that SRH is their right and knew where they could get them in case they needed them. The once-muted voices of young people grew louder and more confident as they learned how to demand access to SRH essential services and information.?

Moses thanked the VSO Rwanda and Make Way Program for the support received through the JMC Initiative. Numerous trainings and workshops on SRH information use and were equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to advocate for the above-mentioned issues. The JMC has contributed a remarkable impact in minimizing early teenage pregnancies.?

"I have closely followed and supported the positive changes in (#SRHR) especially for vulnerable youth and the broader community through working closely with the Joint Monitoring Committee formed after the rollout of the ICSC. This collaborative approach has empowered marginalized youth to voice their concerns and hold duty bearers accountable, resulting in significant improvements in #SRHR services. Through regular dialogue, the JMC has successfully addressed barriers to accessing #SRHR services and this has enhanced the responsiveness of health providers and has increased awareness and knowledge about SRHR among the youth." Samy Bisheja, Social Accountability Officer

Moses's impact extended far beyond and his tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to #SRHR awareness laid the foundation for a healthier and more empowered community.??

VSO Rwanda is dedicated to continuously improve the sexual and reproductive health and well-being of young women and girls by reducing the impacts of harmful traditional practices, including sexual violence, early forced marriage, female genital mutilation, male child preference, and unhealthy practices around menstruation.?