By Wame Jallow (MTV Staying Alive Foundation), Allan Maleche (KELIN), and Jerop Limo (AYARHEP)
At the Adolescents, SRHR & HIV 2025 Workshop in Gaborone, three organisations—MTV Staying Alive Foundation, KELIN, and AYARHEP—came together to spark a different kind of conversation.
We opened the evening with music and films —Bien’s All My Enemies Are Suffering – got us moving our two left feet! We gave it a twist – recognizing that many young people are navigating digital harm, SRHR stigma & barriers, and outdated policies—it’s not personal enemies that stand in their way. It’s systemic barriers that keep them from accessing care, information, and autonomy.
What we explored
- KELIN and DHRP shared new research from two powerful studies: one on digital health & rights, and the other on how age-based restrictions are costing young people their health.
- MTV SAF & panellists – Lungisile Kweyama, Dr. Ava Avalos, Monde Twala, Yvette Raphael, Ayanda Badi, Joseph Segodi – walked us through the power of storytelling to change young lives. —like MTV Shuga— has proven that storytelling isn’t just entertainment—it’s a catalyst for change. When young people see their authentic experiences reflected in stories that address realities of many intersectional issues, they gain agency to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.
- Jerop, leading AYARHEP and representing the Kenya Community Advisory Team (K-CAT), moderated a candid, youth-centered dialogue.
- Ruele and Aaron, two young leaders, brought the data to life with real, raw stories that reminded us exactly who’s at stake.
And the room? Fully alive. Through, Mentimeter, and open dialogue, participants challenged assumptions, shared experiences, and asked: What does real access look like—for everyone?
This is more than a session—it’s a movement
The three of us—and our organisations—are in this together because we believe that in today’s fast-changing world, ecosystem-building isn’t optional—it’s essential.
From entertainment and digital rights, to law, research, and frontline activism—we are weaving together tools and tactics that meet youth where they are.
And as Africa’s youth population continues to grow, the question isn’t when the future arrives. It’s whether we’re building it with them or without them.
What’s next?
If this session showed us anything, it’s that young people are already leading the way. Our job? To back them, build with them, and keep the doors wide open.
To everyone who made the session what it was—thank you. Let’s keep going.
#CostsOfConnection
#MTVShugaMashariki
