Resources

Brief: Programa Para o Futuro Mozambique

Programa Para O Futuro Expansion - Mozambique: Final Report

Youth Literacy Facilitator's Guide

The Importance of Soft Skills Training, Safe Spaces, and Communication Support for Youth

A conversation with YouthPower Action’s Kristin Brady about Programa Para O Futuro-Mozambique. MORE

Prime Implementer

FHI 360

Project Timeline

9 months

Project Goals

22,000 older OVC (10-18) and their household members and youth-headed (up to 29) households caring for OVC reached with OVC services
5,500 older OVC (10-18) and their household members and OVC in youth-headed households access HIV services
435 savings groups (VS&Ls) in target districts with effective participation of the target beneficiary group supported
300 adolescents participating in Community Dialogue activities
168 community members participating in Youth Score Card activities

Brief Background

YouthPower Action implemented two activities through a buy-in from USAID/Mozambique. This first was a one-year activity to support orphaned and vulnerable youth ages 10-18, and youth-headed households and their families to strengthen the capacity of families, communities, and service providers to improve care and protection of orphans and vulnerable youth. The project held community-level discussions around positive youth development and youth engagement to create a more supportive environment for youth, worked with community child protection committee to involve youth as members, created parent support groups, supported youth-led health fairs, involved youth in village savings groups, introduced study groups to support school retention and youth clubs to introduce life skills, address bullying, stigma and discrimination, and understand adolescent development and health challenges. The project also implemented Youth Score Cards for youth to assess the quality of services in their community and engage with the government to agree on an action plan to improve those services. The project reached more than 22,000 youth during this project.

The second activity expanded an existing holistic youth development program for orphaned and vulnerable youth ages 15-18, known locally as Programa Para O Futuro (PPF) that improves basic education, employability, information technology, and soft skills and builds awareness around gender, healthy behaviors, stigma and discrimination. This project includes a 4.5-month integrated curriculum that use project-based learning, followed by a three-month internship. Youth have an e-mentor to provide guidance on career development and the world of work. Youth identify peers in their community and hold sessions to share what they have learned and carry out community service projects through youth clubs. The project also held parent support groups that led to improved parent-youth communication. Approximately 95% of participants stay are in school for at least one year following completion of the program and 79% had completed secondary school compared to an average of 12% in the province. Youth in the program significantly improved 5 out of 6 soft skills measured (goals and aspirations, problem solving, self-efficacy, cooperation and communication, and self-awareness). Youth also showed significant improvements on Family Planning and Reproductive Health behaviors and in their gender perceptions (women’ roles in school, at home, and career). The analysis also provides evidence of significant improvements in financial knowledge and knowledge related to entrepreneurship, improved employability skills and improved reading and writing skills.

CONTEXT

52% of the population is under 18
8th highest HIV prevalence rate in the world
Adolescent girls (15-24) prevalence rate of 11.1% compared to 3.7% for men of same ages
1 out of 2 girls is married before she turns 18; 1 in 9 before 15
20% first sexual experience before 15; 75% before 18

Results

RESULT #1: INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

Trained CSOs on adolescent development and positive youth development based on Development Assets Profile (DAP); CSOs trained community health workers
Used the DAP as an educational tool to explain importance of external and internal assets
Created life skills curriculum based on debates and discussion
- Adolescent development
- Child protection
- GBV and gender
- Nutrition
- Health including SRH, drugs and alcohol, WASH
- Stigma, discrimination, and bullying
Curriculum also used to guide parents/caregivers groups and community opinion leader groups to help them understand adolescence and how to communicate with and support adolescents

RESULT #2: INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO VOICE THEIR PERSPECTIVES TO INFORM DECISIONS RELATING TO YOUTH SERVICES

Youth-led mapping in each district to identify youth services and update the directory of OVC support services to include programs for youth (vocational training, recreational, cultural programs, youth support services)
Youth planned, designed and implemented 95 health fairs involving 786 youth
627 youth (ages 14-18) were integrated into Community Children’s Protection Committees, a civil society body to oversee child protection services. The project also helped the Committees understand the importance of involving youth as members
Adapted an existing community participatory activity to assess the quality of government services to create a Youth Score Card. Youth participated in developing the indicators and evaluating the performance of those services

RESULT #3: INCREASED NUMBER OF OLDER OVC AND YOUTH-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS THAT CARE FOR OVC THAT HAVE ACCESS TO SAVINGS AND LOANS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY

14,260 beneficiaries participated in financial literacy training
7,594 adolescents (14-18) and 4,889 youth heads of households participated in savings groups
Youth in savings groups were paired with an adult sponsor
Many youths used savings to support school fees creating a link to school retention

RESULT #4: INCREASED ACCESS TO COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OLDER OVC AND YOUTH-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN COORDINATION WITH GRM AND CSOS

Enhanced existing Children’s Clubs to provide greater focus on adolescent life skills; more than 19,000 youth participated in the clubs
Implemented OVC care and support services in compliance with minimum service standards defined by GRM. Created new screening tool for adolescents
Provided psycho-social support
Promoted HIV positive pregnant adolescents and teen mothers and pregnant adolescents to participate in Mother-to-Mother groups
Supported school enrollment and engaged 2000 youth in study groups
Provided nutrition services
Supported for securing documentation to enhance access to services

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