For Nadine Yasmine Some, TARP is not only a tool for improving youth-friendly reproductive health services. It’s also her path toward leadership and personal development.
What makes a program youth-responsive? Through my experience with E2A, I’ve learned that it’s not enough to simply consult young people about their family planning needs. Effective programs must be built for youth and (more importantly) by youth. To take charge of our reproductive health, we deserve more than just a seat at the table—we deserve platforms to tell our stories, opportunities for professional growth, and the ability to make our own decisions.
My name is Nadine, and I am 25 years old. I am a youth ambassador for family planning in Burkina Faso and a volunteer for the youth advocacy organization Sos Jeunesse et Défis association.
Over the past year, I, along with other young people from Cote d’Ivoire and Niger, have had the opportunity to test drive Not Without Us! A Tool for Adolescent- and Youth-Responsive Planning (TARP)*, an online advocacy tool that puts the family planning needs of young people at the forefront. This tool helps us ensure that our governments are investing in our futures.
This experience has been of great interest to me professionally, intellectually, and socially.
On a professional level, I became more familiar with the family planning environment through using TARP. The tool has allowed me to take ownership of the content of the national budgeted action plan of my own country, including the resources allocated to youth activities.
On an intellectual level, I developed my analytical skills utilizing the tool. TARP coached me in forming a thorough analysis of youth-focused activities in my country plan. As a result, I was able to identify the activities that truly meet the needs of young people. Then I was able to apply lessons from TARP to real-world experiences.
On a social level, I learned to work better in a team during the ICFP group sessions, and I gained a greater appreciation of myself. On top of that, this experience gave me the strength and necessary skills to better advocate for the needs of youth.
I am convinced this tool will enable us young people to push our thoughts forward in our quest for a better future. Young people have assets, and TARP taught me how to make the most of them.
Will you join me in making this tool known to young people everywhere?
GET STARTED HERE: USE TARP
Designed by the Evidence to Action (E2A) Project, TARP allows organizations, governments, individuals, and especially young people to analyze family planning and reproductive health plans to determine how responsive they are to the needs of young people. For more about TARP, check out our one-page guide.
