At the beginning of 2022, NAYA embarked on a project to document the lived experiences of some of the societal actors and young people who have dedicated their lives to empowering the youth in their communities.

The Power to You(th) Anthology is a snapshot into the lived realities of these societal actors, religious leaders, lawmakers, champions, young men and women who have dared take a stand against the injustices they see holding back the youth in their communities. 

The vision of the Power to You(th) programme is that Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) from underserved communities make informed choices, enjoy their sexuality, and are free from harmful practices in gender-equitable and violence-free societies.

The journey towards attaining this vision is long, hard, and messy. Going against the tide of entrenched culture and tradition requires levels of personal sacrifice and professional commitment few people are prepared to give.

Some of the storytellers are survivors of these harmful practices. Others are community members – young and old – armed with nothing more than a vision and a commitment to be the generation that will say they stood up against the powers that oppress and suppress young people – and prevailed.

All of the contributors in this Anthology work with the Power to You(th) programme in their respective communities. They are also all works in progress. None claims to have arrived or figured out the fool-proof solution to what ails their society.

But they all lay claim to this singular passion – to see young people (and future generations) empowered to shape cultures and practices that will see a thriving society where young men and women are not stepped on, sidelined, or silenced.

MAY THEIR STORIES AND WORK INSPIRE YOU AND EMPOWER YOUTH!!!