Zambia has continued to invest greatly in the health sector to drive high quality and accessible services by everyone countrywide. Equal, equitable health services are a foundation of a flourishing population. Most importantly, adolescents and young people are a special and unique group, because of their vulnerability towards acquisition of Sexually Transmitted Infections, Alcohol, Substance abuse, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), teenage pregnancy etc. The Ministry of Health together with supporting stakeholders, like the Zambia Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (ZAGO), and others are working tirelessly to ensure that young people receive the help they need.

It within this context that ZAGO in the last implementation period, with support from AmplifyChange through the “Improving access to and use of Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) services by adolescents and young people,” project trained over 60 peer educators in four of the ten (10) districts. The districts include, Ndola, Kafue, Chipata and Chilanga.

Equally, in the previous reporting period, Kitwe, Mufulira, Chingola, and Chongwe benefited, with over 60 peer educators trained.

Participants were drawn from the district’s facilities being supported by the organization.

The overall goal of the project is to improve and advance SRH rights of in- and out-school adolescents through the provision of appropriate education and linkage to access services.

This pathway is a core component of the project which seeks to achieve among other things:

• Increase community awareness and support for SRHR services for adolescents & young people.
• Increase in parent-child communication on SRHR matters for adolescents & young people
• Increase in uptake and use of contraceptive services among adolescents & young people.
• Increase in adolescents & young people accessing SRHR services in youth friendly health spaces.

Recognizing that adolescents and young people often turn to their peers for information and support, ZAGO’s strategy hinges on the power of peer education. The newly trained cohort of peer educators are young, dynamic, and relatable individuals from within their own communities. They have been equipped with accurate, age-appropriate knowledge on:

• Comprehensive sexuality education.
• Prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.
• Access to contraceptives and family planning services to prevent teenage pregnancy
• Gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and support pathways.
• Asserting sexual and reproductive rights.
• Preventing unsafe abortion
• Navigating youth-friendly health services within their districts etc.

The training focused not just on information, but also on essential communication, counselling, and referral skills. These educators are now prepared to lead open, non-judgmental conversations in safe spaces – whether in schools, youth-friendly health spaces, or community outreaches – helping to dispel myths, reduce stigma, and guide their peers towards quality healthcare services when needed.

ZAGO notes that peer educators act as a crucial bridge between their fellow young people and the existing SRHR services in all the ten (10) districts supported by the project. They are mobilizing to:

• Raise awareness through community dialogues and outreaches to inform adolescents and youth about their SRHR and the services available to them.
• Demystify health facilities by helping to reduce the fear and stigma associated with visiting clinics, explaining what to expect and promoting the concept of youth-friendly health space services.
• Provide referrals by promoting confidentially, guiding peers to specific trained healthcare providers known to offer respectful and confidential care.
• Represent the voices and unique challenges faced by young people in their communities, ensuring services remain responsive and accessible.

“Before this training, I didn’t have much information, but now, I feel empowered with the right knowledge and information. I am no longer just a friend; I am a trusted source of information and a link to help,” said Bruno Mungalu, peer educator, Kafue District. These trainings marked a fundamental step in the right direction. ZAGO, with support from AmplifyChange, will continue to provide ongoing peer education, mentorship, supervision, and all the technical support district facilities may need. The association shall continue to monitor both old and newly trained peer educators’ incredible work as they contribute to building healthier, more informed generations across implementation sites.