Nelson Mandela was an advocate. Throughout his life we note various points where he took a stand against social injustice. In his early life, Nelson Mandela went to prison for 27 years because he was one of the key champions that fought to end apartheid in South Africa. He believed that each individual carries a responsibility to humanity and has the power to change the circumstances they find themselves in.
Today, ten days before the world commemorates what would have been Madibaâs 100th birthday, we celebrate the Graça Machel Trustâs Youth Advocates who are taking a stand to address the challenges that exist in the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) space. These champions work with us in four countries, – Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia and are supported by mentors and host organisations who give them guidance.
To commemorate Mandela Day, we asked them to share with us what inspires them and why they chose to be youth advocates. This is what they had to say:
Kino Caetano â Mozambique
âI was born with Pneumonia and had serious health problems. I would not want any children to go through what I went through, hence my passion for child and adolescent health. Nelson Mandela has been inspiration for me, from the time I joined the Children’s Parliament and became its president in my district, Quelimane, and now when I am in the Children’s Parliament of Mozambique. Today as a Youth Advocate I have been experiencing great changes in Mozambican society, as a result of the work that I and other youth champions have done and I hope for a prosperous future and many victories in health and other areas important for the development of my country and of Africa.â
Christina Chilimba â Malawi
âI am involved in the RMNCAH+N advocacy work because it’s my dream to see todayâs youths being agents of change in the health sector as well as all other sectors. I am inspired to see young people taking the lead and meaningfully participating in all stages of planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluation of interventions that concern them. I feel I am having great impact with my work as I have raised awareness on RMNCAH+N to many young people across my country and have received good responses from the government and the private sector. I hope for a future where more youths participate in all stages of program development as well as hold organisations and governments accountable for the successful implementation of those programs.â
Shuko Musemangezhi â Zambia
âWe operate in a world were certain services are reserved for the selected few. We further exist in a world that neglects its greatest resource, the young people. I am in this work space because I am dismayed by the inequalities that exist both within and among different societies. I believe that unity of purpose is the most fundamental principle that we should uphold to address all the ills that accompany our individualistic ideals. The fact is that each one of us deserves and has the right to lead healthy and productive lives throughout our lifeâs trajectory. I look forward to a time where health is truly everyoneâs, business, leaving no one behind and utilizing a systems approach.â
Maria AmĂŠlia AntĂłnio Manjate â Mozambique
âI was born in a context where it was a social taboo to talk about sexual and reproductive health. It was so bad that if someone was identified as HIV positive, they were considered a “prostituteâ. Personalities like Nelson Mandela have made me to fight for my rights as well as those of others. My passion is focused particularly on adolescents and youth, we are the majority but least recognised in all social spheres. As a representative of adolescents and youth in sexual and reproductive health and as a Graça Machel Trust youth advocate, it is my responsibility and duty to do something for change and to impact others. My biggest motivation is influence policymakers and see unfavourable policies, laws, curricula, and teachings, changed through my contribution.â
Hastings Banda â Malawi
âI am involved in this work because of the passion that I have of working with young people on HIV and Aids and sexual reproductive health rights. I am inspired by the work that I have done so far in this field and also the mentors that we have who have shown us how they have made it thus far. When working in this project, am already feeling am contributing positively. I have been on the table with government officials and policy makers, articulated issues affecting young people and also always giving feedback to the youth constituency that I represent.â
Seifu Ibrahim â Tanzania
âMillions of people around the world mostly women, children and adolescents donât have access to necessary healthcare services because they canât afford to pay hospital fees. I believe health is a human right, hence I became an advocate focused on achieving universal health coverage. Everyone should have access to healthcare regardless of financial background. My hopes for the future are to see that our government makes access to healthcare its top priority by allocating sustainable budgets that will enable free health care.â
Namakando Simamuna â Zambia
âI am a Sexual and Reproductive Health advocate because I am passionate about sexuality and health, youth leadership, social justice and gender equality. My interest in womenâs sexual and reproductive rights and feminist leadership is deeply rooted in my experience and the experiences of other young women from our deeply patriarchal society. I am inspired by other feminists who have broken the silence and norms for women’s rights in the past. My hopes are that age and sex related barriers to sexual and reproductive health services will be alleviated and I hope to continue learning more about international policy and advocacy in this space.â
What change do you want to see happening in your community? You hold the power to ensure that this transformation happens. Take a stand like Nelson Mandela, Christine, Shuko, Hastings, Kino, Maria, Namakando, and Seifu have done and get those wheels of change moving. To learn more about the Graça Machel Trustâs Childrenâs Rights program here.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenâs rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Childrenâs Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsâ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trustâs goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a motherâs health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childâs life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.