Sustainable Impact Development (SID) Initiative, together with its Gender Equality Fund (GEF) Champions, engaged the Adolescent and Youth Health Unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Health during an advocacy visit held on 17 September 2026 at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos state.
The visit gave the SID team an opportunity to share progress, impact, and highlight the experiences and contributions of the Adolescent girls and Young Women (AGYW) involved in the GEF Project.
During the meeting, the GEF Champions shared their experiences from recent advocacy activities, which include social media campaigns and radio sessions addressing HIV, tuberculosis, malaria (HTM) and sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Through these engagements, the Champions have used their voices and lived experiences to communicate relevant health information and raise awareness among young people and wider community audiences.
The SID team also highlighted the ongoing development of a youth-led Communication Toolkit in collaboration with the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA).
The toolkit is being developed to strengthen health communication and support more effective, gender-responsive messaging around HTM and public health issues in the state.
Ayeni O.O., the Head, Gender Adolescent and School Health received the team and engaged with the Champions as they presented their experiences and the various activities undertaken under the GEF Project.
She also expressed the unit’s commitment to continued collaboration with SID and committed to reviewing the draft Communication Toolkit and providing technical feedback to strengthen its content and alignment with state health communication priorities.
Beyond strengthening engagement with the Ministry, the visit gave the GEF Champions practical institutional advocacy experience, particularly in communicating their work to government stakeholders and contributing to conversations on adolescent and young people’s health.
The GEF Project continues to support young women to take active roles in advocacy and health decision-making.
Through capacity building, community engagement, and strategic advocacy, the project equips young women with the knowledge and tools to identify and address structural barriers affecting their health and wellbeing.
The Gender Equality Fund Project is implemented by SID Initiative with support from Y+ Global.
Sustainable Impact Development (SID) Initiative is a youth-focused non-governmental organization committed to empowering young people, advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), promoting gender equality, and fostering sustainable community development through advocacy, capacity building, and youth-led solutions.