About me
I studied Economics and Demography at the University of Swaziland. While at University I was one of the founding members of a movement that aims to make a positive change in the lives of the youth in Swaziland. As a member and peer educator of the movement I received training in basic counselling and HIV peer education.
In 2005, I joined UNFPA New York as a Special Youth Fellow to acquire training in UNFPA programmatic areas as well as provide input to UNFPA on its direction when addressing Youth issues. I have since returned home to Sierra Leone in 2006 and joined the UNFPA Country office providing direction in integrating youth issues as well as developing a focused youth programme.
Since joining UNFPA, I participated in the 14th International Conference on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (ICASA) in Abuja, Nigeria (2005). At the conference I co-facilitated a session on mitigating the impact of HIV in the family and chaired a session on Youth Participation. I participated at the XVI International AIDS Conference 2006 in Toronto where I Co facilitated a session during the Youth conference on “Why Gender matters in the fight against HIV/AIDS” and participated at the conference as part of the conference’s Youth group. I was also involved in the MTV organized 48Fest short film competition.
I have been involved in research on female genital mutilation and forced marriage in migrant communities for the 2006 State of the World Population Youth supplement “Moving Young”.
I participated in a technical expert consultation on young people and poverty reduction strategies that was convened by UNFPA and the World Bank in January 2007 in Washington D.C. experience was shared on the inclusion of young people’s issues in the PRS processes in Sierra Leone. I recently presented in colaboration with a coleague from Liberia UNFPA response to young peoples needs in Emergency and post conflict situations at the Africa regionwide meeting in Malawi.
At the Country office I have provided support for a country-level Youth Advisory Panel, conducted training sessions on sexual and reproductive health, HIV prevention and gender based violence for ex-combatants and ex-child soldiers. During World Population Day 2006 that focused on the theme of youth, in collaboration with the National Population Unit of the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning and Ministry of Youth and Sports we organized the first youth mock parliament in which young people met to deliberate on issues affecting their lives. In 2007 during the launch of the State of the World Report we held panel discussions on the effect of Urbanization on the Youth in Sierra Leone.
I am now currently working towards increase access of young people to reproductive health services by strengthening youth friendly service centres and reaching into the schools with peer education.
I studied Economics and Demography at the University of Swaziland. While at University I was one of the founding members of a movement that aims to make a positive change in the lives of the youth in Swaziland. As a member and peer educator of the...
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Creole (English), Kiswahili, English