October 20, 2022

Health, Health, Health, Health, Health, Health, Health, Health, Health

The Adolescent Reproductive Health Youth Ambassador (ARH-YA) was organized by the A Child’s Trust Is Ours To Nurture (ACTION), Inc. with the assistance of the Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation. The ARH-YA was established on February 1, 2020. ARH-YA aims to strengthen the involvement of youth in advocacy for Adolescent Reproductive Health and other social issues relevant to today’s youth. \r\n\r\nThe establishment of the ARH-YA was at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, many activities for the youth were on hold, particularly the ARH Training. ACTION together with ARH-YA created the “ACTION’s Online Support and Education for Children and Youth” Facebook page to reach out to the youths and provide access to the right information on Reproductive Health and the rights of children and youth. The ARH-YAs assisted their fellow youths in dealing with their issues, concerns, and challenges they encounter during the pandemic. The young people freely shared their concerns by sending messages on this page or through the “Dear Ate and Kuya Confessions” link. Aside from this, in the first year of ARH-YA\'s establishment, ACTION together with Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation capacitated the members of the organization by joining them in various online youth activities such as “Virtual Global Youth Summit 2020”, in this activity, the ARH-YA shared their knowledge and experience on RH and how the children and youth will protect themselves from different forms of abuse, ARH-YA also became the “Safe Space Heroes”, “Kwentong Inspirasyon at Pag-asa” conducted by Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation and other conducted capacity building. Furthermore, ACTION together with ARH-YA launched the Adolescent Reproductive Health Online Course. It helped the youth to have access to the right information on RH despite the pandemic.\r\n\r\nBecause ARH-YAs were already capacitated, in 2021, ARH-YA launched the “ARH-YA Talks 2021” where they conducted a series of webinars focusing on Child’s Rights and Responsibilities, Sexual Abuse Prevention, Healthy Relationships, Refusal to Sexual Pressure, Prevention of HIV and AIDS, Gender Equality, and the Importance of Mental Health to Young Adults. Because of this initiative, ARH-YA was invited and discussed the information on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) during the National Children’s Month Celebration organized by the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare for the Children - Central Luzon. ARH-YA also co-facilitated the ARH Online Quiz Bee and Anti-Child Trafficking Information Caravan as part of the 2021 Children’s Month Celebration. \r\n\r\nIn Present, there are forty-one (41) active ARH-YAs from Olongapo City, Zambales, Manila, and Leyte. The activities conducted in the previous years have been a success because it reached more youth from different parts of Luzon and Visayas. \r\n\r\nARH-YAs continuously engaged in ARH advocacy where they became part of the training team during the conduct of ARH training implemented by ACTION and Consuelo Foundation. They also became youth reactors where they shared their experiences, voiced their perspective as youth on RH, and gave testimonies. Aside from this, they also have a set of officers who lead their group, they are the one who facilitates their own activities such as monthly meeting, ARHYA Talks, and other youth-led activities. \r\n\r\nThese initiatives of them are evidence that the efforts conducted last 2020 were sustained. ARH-YAs gradually give back to the community by implementing small activities for other youth like those mentioned above. Furthermore, in 2022, ARH-YAs started the “Online Invasion” strategy where they created various content videos about Reproductive Health and Child Protection. These videos were uploaded to their official social media platforms such as their Facebook Page and TikTok where their peer is usually present. These videos aim to raise the awareness of youth to the right information on reproductive health, their rights, and how they can protect themselves from different forms of abuse. Even though the ARH-YAs were able to conduct their own activities for other youth, the development of their knowledge, skills, and attitudes continues. There are capacity buildings provided to the ARH-YAs to strengthen and develop their capability. Recently, ARH-YA drafted its Constitutional and By-Laws. \r\n\r\nVision: ARH-YA envision a community where young people are empowered to make better choices on their reproductive health and their future.\r\n\r\nMission: ARH-YA strives to provide young people a space to learn the right information, talk about key issues regarding their reproductive health, and have a pro-informed choice.\r\n\r\nObjectives: \r\n\r\na. Reduced the pressing issues on reproductive health such as teenage pregnancy/parent, cases of STI, HIV, and AIDs, discrimination, and abuse by providing the right information on Reproductive Health;\r\nb. Have established a safe learning space for young people where they can freely express their opinions and thoughts on RH.\r\nc. Capacitated young people to be an advocate and alliance on promoting the pro-informed choice on Reproductive Health.\r\n