The Outreach Challenge

The young are constantly preyed on and taken advantage of because they are vulnerable, improvised, and uneducated. This is a recipe for a continuous increase in unwanted pregnancy and HIV infections if the gap is not bridged. As the saying goes “prevention is better than cure”

The best time to get the attention of both genders is when they are very young and most likely not sexually active, with cross-generational sex still the order of the day in Nigeria, we are set to distribute life-changing solutions to turn the tides around in time before 2030 via the Outreach Challenge.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

According to UNICEF in 2019 alone, 460,000 [260,000-680,000] young people between the ages of 10 to 24 were newly infected with HIV, of whom 170,000 [53,000-340,000] were adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19. Half of the adolescents who are infected in the world are found in just six countries namely, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, India, Mozambique and Tanzania.

Nigeria alone, accounts for more than half of all new HIV infections in West and Central Africa, making it the second-largest HIV epidemic in the world and the only country in the world where mortality in 10-14 year old is rising, as of 2019, 32000 children aged (0-19) were newly infected within a space of twelve months, 18000 of which are girls, an alarming 10 percent increase since 2016. Despite their elevated risk, reports show that few adolescents test for HIV regularly.

Early sexual debut and intergenerational sexual relationships are common in Nigeria, with 15% of girls and 4% of boys having sex before they are 15 years old. 

The highest proportion of adolescent pregnancy among unmarried adolescent girls in rural areas is about 73.16%. 

The odds of adolescent pregnancy among unmarried adolescent girls in rural areas are 26-times more likely compared to their urban counterparts, by extension, there is a correlation between poverty levels, education, and early pregnancies. 

The northern parts of Nigeria, with the lowest literacy rates, have the highest rates of early pregnancies. 

This initiative was born out of the dire need to strategically tackle these identified issues that have deterred Nigerian development.

THE OUTREACH CHALLENGE

This is an initiative that seeks to spread awareness about sexual predators who manipulate very young people into unhealthy sexual relationships. Notably, we would be adopting a collective approach via engaging young individuals and communities intended on educating and re-educating beneficiaries to achieve our desired goal. 

We intend to reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancy, sex addiction, school dropout, HIV/AIDs prevalence, STD spread, and teenage prostitution by providing relevant practicable solutions and support to adolescents in Nigeria.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• Create safe spaces for the young to be heard without judgment.
• Provide 24/7 counseling/helplines for adolescents to reach and share their inquiries or experiences 
• Sensitize adolescents on the dangers of unprotected sex with an older partner twice or thrice their age using a unique storytelling technique
• Reach 5,000 girls and 2000 boys in six months with our community by community strategy, within two years, we intend to reach 200,000 girls and 100,000 boys in all 36 states of the country.
• Distribute comics and videos to every adolescent reached, thereby ensuring they have a resource to study and teach their mates when the need arises.
• Create massive awareness surrounding seeming grey areas of sexual assault due to manipulation and ignorance via social media, tv, radio, and podcasts.
• Provide support and legal aid to victims by connecting them with relevant partner bodies and organizations that provide the necessary assistance.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR

We have infused into our social media calendars and other communication tools, propagating  the severity of cross-generational sexual relations, child marriages, and the consequences of such acts with vivid pictures, facts, and stories, 

Our weekly newsletter now serves as a tool for advocacy. Check our social media links for references