This newsletter for quarter 4 highlights key activities implemented by YOUNETPO between October, November and December 2023. We are excited for the high level of support from both our partners and donors, we could not have had a successful year without you.
YOUNETPO strengthen it relationship with the Delegation of the European Union to Liberia - Youth Network for Positive Change held a partnership meeting with a team from the Delegation of the European Union to Liberia at the EU Delegation Office located at Mamba point- Monrovia, Liberia on October 13, 2023. During the meeting, discussions were expanded on initiatives that supports fiscal transparency within the governance space in Liberia which include but limited to; increase citizens participation within the national budget processes, CSOs engagement involving the tracking, report and monitoring of the national budget. The EU team was headed by Dr. Anna Brzozowska; Counsellor Head, Political and Economic Governance Cooperation at the EU Delegation and Federico Foti. Representatives of YOUNETPO included: Amb. Leo E. Tiah; Executive Director, William Kei; Programs and Projects Manager, Rose N. Foboi; Gender Focal Person, and Samuka L. Kabah: Technical Advisor (YOUNETPO) - see picture above.
YOUNETPO begins preparations for the 7th Editions of the Annual Youth Education and Leadership Conference - Team YOUNETPO represented by Amb Leo E Tiah ; Executive Director and William Kei ; Projects and Programs Manager traveled to the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Republic of the Gambia as part of a 7 days working visit to both countries. The team firstly stopped briefly in Freetown to meet and engage with youthful parliamentarians as part of the preparations of the 7th editions of the Annual Youth Education and Leadership Conference - AYEAL Conference which is expected to take place in the Banjul, the Republic of The Gambia in July 2024. Discussions were also held with the youthful MPs regarding the Young Parliamentarians Network of Africa; a network that seek to bring together young MPs from the African continent to promote peace, raise youth voices at local, national and international levels, utilize a peer to peer through mentorship, coaching and training of other youth to enhance their capacity to take up leadership roles and advocate for increase representation of youth at all levels.
The meeting in Freetown was attended by six (6) youthful members of parliament including; Hon. Sia Mahawa Tommy, Hon. Komba Quee, Hon. Sahr Koutu, Hon. Matthew T. Fofanah, Hon. Alice K Sandy and Hon. Abdul Karim. The team also headed to the Republic of the Gambia to meet with key stakeholders and establish partnership for the conduct of the 7th AYEAL Conference which will be hosted in Banjul City, the Republic of the Gambia. YOUNETPO leverage on its existing partnership with the Annador movement head by Hon. Abdoulie Njai; the youngest member of parliament in the Gambia to ensure that the trip was successful. Among other things the team was able to meet and engage with; Hon. Rokey Lowe; the Lord Mayor of Banjul City, representatives of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Warfare, the Gambian Youth Council, Green Hub the Gambia, Think Young Women, Gambia Redcross, Banjul Youth Council, Gambia cyber security alliance, Activista the Gambia, Peace Hub Gambia, and the Female Journalist Association of the Gambia (see pictures above).
The Official Launch of Youth Voices for Change Project and the Liberian Youth Voices for Accelerating the ICPD (L-YV-4-ICPD)
YOUNETPO participated in the official launch of the Youth Voices for Change Project and the Liberian Youth Voices for Accelerating the ICPD (L-YV-4-ICPD), which was organized as part of this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence under the global theme, “Invest to prevent violence against women and girls.” The launch took place on Tuesday December 5th, 2023 at the Cape Hotel.
Under the auspices of the Youth Voices for Change project, the L-YV-4-ICPD is established to serve as a platform of formal and informal adolescent and youth-led networks and organizations seeking to transform policies, strategies, approaches, and programmatic responses to work with and for young people through youth-led action, advocacy, and accountability on SRHR, SGBV, and bodily autonomy. The L-YV-4-ICPD will advance the relevant national, regional, and international processes and outcomes led by, involving, and/or targeting young people. The purpose of this event is to officially launch the L-YV-4-ICPD and to give an opportunity to the newly appointed L-YV-4-ICPD members to exchange views with government partners, donors, as well as civil society organizations. Youth Network for Positive Change is a proud member of the Liberian Youth Voices for Accelerating the ICPD (L-YV-4-ICPD). Thanks to UNFPA Liberia and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany for the support (see pictures above).
Integration of Citizen Charter for Health Facility Development Committees - USAID CSA Project implementation - YOUNETPO represented by its Executive Director; Amb. Leo E. Tiah signed an In-Kind grant, non-monetary grant titled: In-Kind Capacity Development Grant with DAI Global, LLC through the USAID Liberia Civil Society Activity (CSA) Project. The grant is valued at $8,736.00 for three months (December 1, 2023 - February 28, 2024). The grant will support YOUNETPO to develop Monitoring and Evaluation Plans and Gender Policy. This will also include the training of staff on the policies.
Also, under the CSA project, a two days training for Health Facility Development Committees Members (HFDC) was conducted for HFDC members from Todee Health District and Careysburg Health Districts in Montserrado county and for HFDC members from Salala and Soukoko health districts in Bong County. The training was held to enhance HFDCs members on their roles and responsibilities as enshrined in the Community Health Service Policy as well as train and build HFDCs skills to advocate for improvement and transparency in supply chain management for the delivery of medicines and medical products. The training was held at the Talk and Do guest house located in Careysburg City from December 20-21, 2023 for Montserrado while Bong County training was held at the Compound of the Phebee Hospital from December 22-23, 2023.
This activity was conducted as part of activities being implemented by YOUNETPO through the USAID Civil Society Activity (CSA) project subtitle: Integration of Citizens Charters for Health Facility Development Committees in Montserrado and Bong Counties (see pics above).
Enhancing Staff Capacity to meet program needs
YOUNETPO conducted a one-day refresher training for its Peer Educators, Peer Navigators and Outreach Workers. The training enhanced participant knowledge on the existing and updated data collection tools and reporting mechanism and also increased participants effectiveness and coverage of peer led outreach efforts which allow peer educators to transition from being passive data gatherers to active site managers who analyses data from outreach and also ensure a data-driven approach to peer outreach.
The refreshers training was conducted as part of the YOUNETPO HIV Services intervention through the FHI360 led EpiC Project which is being funded by PERFAR through USAID. The training was held on Thursday December 14, 2023 at our head office in the Hope Community Thinker's Village Paynesville City, Liberia (see pictures above).
YOUNETPO Conducts End of Year Review and FY24 Planning Meeting with Key Stakeholders:
YOUNETPO successfully conducted its 2023 End- of - Year Review and 2024 Planning Meeting held on November 23, 2023 at the D' Calabash in Paynesville. The event was organized by YOUNETPO in a hybrid style to present to donors, partners and staff the progress of its program implementation noting results, achievements, issues and concerns, lessons learned and success stories for FY23 and to identify key interventions for FY24 Annual Work Plan as well as its alignment to YOUNETPO' Five Years Strategic Plan. Donors and partners represented at the meeting included; WHO, UNFPA, FHI360, RFSU, IYAFP, Montserrado County Health Team and National Aids Commission. Key staff of YOUNETPO participated from its head office in Montserrado and sub offices in Bong and Margibi Counties (see pictures above).