Our Programs
YOCDEF pursues its mandate through (3) strategic programs including Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights Awareness (SRHRA), Socio-economic Empowerment Program (EEP) and Organizational Capacity Strengthening & Development (OCSD).
The Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Awareness (SRHRA)
We promote knowledge about Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), which involve people’s rights to make their own decisions about their bodies, sexuality and reproduction. This involve understanding the right to sexual health services, comprehensive sexuality education, and access to contraception, safe sex practices, freedom from sexual violence and discrimination. Our aim is to ensure people especially the youth, have the ability to access a satisfying and safe sex life, make informed decisions about having children, achieve overall physical, mental and social well-being.
Through program activities, we mobilize communities to enhance participation and accountability, partnering with community networks such as (SRHR) alliance, giving technical support on use of Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) to community based organizations (CBOs),youth groups and work with existing government structures such as Health Unit Management Committees (HUMCs) and Village Health Teams (VHTs). We engage communities in group discussions, education sessions, distribute educative manuals, peer-led training using creative methods like games, music dance and drama. These activities aim to increase knowledge and spread awareness on topics like puberty, behavior change communications, reproductive rights, STIs, pregnancies, abortion practices, antenatal and post-natal issues, while also building life skills and encouraging help-seeking behaviors through community dialogue, parent sensitization as well as creating supportive youth-friendly spaces on matters concerning SRHR.
The Socio-economic Empowerment Program (EEP)
Our major focus is to invest in youth’s economic empowerment, enables gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth. It involves providing people, usually disadvantaged young women and men, with education, necessary tools, training and life skills that they need to start or find jobs, earn an income and become self-supporting.
In this YOCDEF fosters sustainable support like seed capital, savings knowledge, vocational and technical skills training, financial literacy and market/value chain development. We empower individuals to start their own businesses, learn and practice saving habits and improve their incomes, all of which enables them to better provide for their families. We work with partners to deliver projects that ensure clear pathways for youths to finance and manage their businesses as going concern entities, which has enabled them to grow from small to large enterprises.
Organizational Capacity Strengthening & Development (OCSD)
The program focuses on all possible strategies to improve YOCDEF’s ability to achieve its goals, improve systems, structures and people. It involves a holistic analysis and planned reforms to strengthen functions like leadership, management, operations and to develop resources such as skills, knowledge, financial and physical assets. Our ultimate aim is to improve an organization’s effectiveness, sustainability and overall performance in the long term.