For the Act2Live project activities a training workshop was organised for the youth advocates group. The young people were drawn from the project sites (Akodessewa, Katanga, Akassimé and Gbossimé) and from YMCA Volunteers. It was held at ENAM Lomé-Togo from 4 to 8 November.
The objective of this workshop was to strengthen the capacities of the youth advocates so that they can easily engage in discussions with decisions makers so that health issues affecting young people in Togo can be improve.
During this workshop, presentations were made on Advocacy, Lobbying, Policy Process, Budget monitoring, analysis and budget advocacy.
Exercises in small groups during the workshop helped the participants to better understand these concepts.
Based on the recommendations of the youth led research on the status of ‘neglected’ health issues that disproportionately affect young people in Togo, two main advocacy objectives at community level were identified. For the first one, the young advocates demanded that the government put in place a social service department funded by the State in Katanga Health Center by June 2014. The second one is the affectation of a doctor specialist in adolescent health and well-being at Bè- Klikamé health Center near Gbossimé by June 2014.
Two different actions plans and two messages were developed to achieve the two advocacy objectives.
The Young advocates enjoyed the training. Edith, one of the participants at the end has said: “I have enjoyed the training and I will use this knowledge not only for this project but in my entire life”. They have promised to work closely with the project coordination to achieve the project goals.
