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Plan International has been working in Sierra Leone for over 40 years to support children to go to school, stay safe and get good jobs.
MY Health. My Rights.
Ensuring young people, especially girls and young women have access to sexual reproductive health services and exercise their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).
Let’s start talking – girls, in all their diversity, have the right to be educated and make active choices about their bodies.
The My Health. My Rights. (MHMR) project co-funded by the European Union project focuses on making sure young people, especially girls and young women have access to sexual reproductive health services and exercise their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). Plan International has forged a partnership with the local non-governmental organisation called Sierra Leone Social Marketing and Development Agency (SLaDA) to bring this project to life in the Moyamba and Port
Loko districts.
This collective effort aims to empower young people (ages 10-19), and ensure they have access to the rights and reproductive resources they deserve.
why do we need My Health. My Rights. ?
Sierra Leone is facing significant challenges when it comes to realising sexual and reproductive health rights, particularly for girls and young women. Social and cultural norms and religious beliefs prevent young people from getting accurate information about their sexual development, access to sexual and reproductive health services and making decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
Across two focus areas we are working to create a supportive environment that caters to the specific needs of adolescents. By prioritising quality Comprehensive Sexuality Education and improving accessibility to SRHR services, we are taking steps towards a healthier and more empowered future for the youth. We are empowering young individuals with the necessary information and skills to make informed decisions.
Our goal
Our goal is to contribute to public and community health systems providing adolescents, especially girls, with quality sexuality education and adolescent responsive SRHR information and services in an enabling, empowering, and safe environment.
Our strategy
We will reach our goal by:
- Committing to and delivering quality Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) on multiple levels including policy, community and household level and enhancing informal CSE for girls and boys of 10-19 years.
- Improving the supply and quality of adolescent and gender responsive, inclusive, and accessible SRHR services including contraception, post abortion care and maternal health.
- Increasing south-south collaboration and learning among SRHR focused and female lead civil society organisations in Sierra Leone and at regional level.
Safeguarding
In our efforts to ensure a safe and supportive environment, the MHMR project organises three-day safeguarding training courses in the operational areas. This training is designed to equip project participants including nurses, focal teachers and key community leaders who are implementing the project, with the necessary skills and knowledge regarding safeguarding. Plan International understands the importance of implementing safe programming and wants to empower the participants to effectively address any potential risks or concerns. By providing safeguarding training, MHMR is actively working towards the well-being and protection of all project participants. Their safety is valued and Plan International is committed to creating an environment where they can thrive.
Mobile journalism
One significant component of the project is the mobile journalism training. We have trained 24 young individuals, aged 17 to 24, to become mobile journalists. The trainees were actively involved throughout the two-day training in each district and were eager to learn new skills.
Mobile journalism, or MoJo, is an exciting form of digital storytelling that involves creating content using only smartphones. At Plan International Sierra Leone, the program supports young people in enhancing their advocacy, storytelling, and influencing skills through creative media and journalism. In line with our Youth Engagement strategy, this approach empowers young individuals to effectively hold others accountable, communicate their messages, and advocate for important causes such as access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
One participant from Moyamba district shared her experience, saying, “Through this training, I have gained the ability to edit videos, capture high-quality photos, and improve my writing skills. Now, I can tell stories that impact my community using just my mobile phone. Before the training, I used social media just for fun, but now the MoJo training has opened my eyes to the various ways I can utilise social media.”
Putting training into practice
During the two-day mobile journalism training, the young participants put their training into practice and created a video showcasing their experience.
Plan International is incredibly proud of the achievements of these young mobile journalists. They are equipped with the necessary tools and skills to create impactful content, bringing attention to the issues that matter most to their communities.
My Health. My Rights. is being implemented in partnership with SLaDA.
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