Dream Achievers Youth Kenya || Y-ACT, Youth in Action

Y-ACT, YOUTH IN ACTION

Y-ACT, Youth in Action is an initiative of Amref Health Africa that aims to mentor, support, and increase the capacity of youth advocates to influence youth policy and resource priorities in the areas of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) at national, sub-national, and grassroots levels in Kenya. Dream Achievers Youth Organization (DAYO) is one of Sub-grantee of Y-ACT Kilifi Chapter. Y-ACT Kilifi Chapter is inadequate access to information and services on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) within the county.

Kilifi Advocacy Issue:

• Inadequate access to information and services on MHM in kilifi county.

Goal:

• Increase youth access to MHM information and services through domestication of MHM guidelines

Expected Outcomes:

• Kilifi County department of health, gender and Education considers
• MHM as a priority Issue
• Kilifi County Domesticates and Implements the National MHM Policy.

DAYO Strategies Employed:

• Breakfast Meetings with Key Decision Makers
• Supporting Technical Working Groups Meetings (Gender &WASH)
• Conduct Case Studies on MHM
• Conducting Inter-generational Dialogues on MHM
• Demystifying MHM retrogressive cultures through Edutainment during Kilifi County Cultural Events
• MHM Sensitization meeting with mainstream media reporters
• Social Media Outreach through Twitter storms, Facebook Campaigns and petitions
• Mainstream Media Outreach through Radio Talks and shows
• Supporting the County in the MHM Policy domestication process

DAYO Achievements:

Outcome 1: Kilifi County department of health, gender and Education considers MHM as a priority Issue

• The department of Health, Gender and Education are currently co-chairing the domestication of the MHM Policy Process in Kilifi County
• Inclusion of MHM as a standalone issue in the Kilifi County AYP SRHR and HIV Strategy during the review of the policy in 2020

Outcome 2: Kilifi County Domesticates and Implements the National MHM Policy

• Drafting of the first draft of the Kilifi County MHM policy took place between 15th and 16th November 2020.
• Review of the Kilifi County MHM Policy is currently taking place (21st and 22nd April 2021)

Output 1: Establish MHM Coalitions

• Formation of the Kilifi Youth Coalition on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights/Menstrual Hygiene consisting of 10 Member organizations

Output 2: Engagement with policy makers from the department of Health, gender and Education

• Introduction of the Project to the respective departments, to secure their Buy-In
• Development and Submission of the Kilifi County MHM Policy Brief.
• Part of the Gender and WASH Technical Working Groups
• Output 3:Build Public Support on MHM
• MHM Key Messages development with Youth Advocates and the Media in Kilifi County.
• Increased Male Involvement in MHM
• Public Awareness Creation on MHM Issues.

Output 4: A draft Kilifi County MHM Policy