Across countries and health markets, public health’s modus operandi is to increasingly give voice to the young people we serve. Together, we’re making room at the table for adolescents and youth to contribute, not just as clients, but as equal partners with lived experiences that inform the health solutions we’re designing together.
This is a youth-powered prescription for a public health revolution.
In Impact magazine, we’ve shared stories about young trailblazers at the helm of transforming the future of youth-powered healthcare. Now, we’re taking it one step further: handing the editorial reins to the next generation.
Impact’s nine Youth Editors, selected from a call for submissions that drew some 70 applications worldwide, represent a cohort of talented young leaders. They have shaped the vision for a captivating issue of Impact centered on what it takes to reimagine how adolescents and youth access modern contraception. In that spirit, our Youth Editors share insight into learning about and decision-making related to their reproductive health.
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1. Christianah Aborisade Youth Interviewer “I believed in abstinence when I was younger. I wish I had had more knowledge about modern contraceptives, so I could have helped my peers avoid becoming victims of unintended pregnancies, losing their lives as a result of an unsafe abortion or not being able to complete their education.” FUN FACT Christianah is driven by making a positive impact. |
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2. Jillian Gedeon @J_Ged Youth Writer “We were moving houses on the day that I got my first period. I recall telling my mom who, unlike me, was overly excited. In FUN FACT Jillian never leaves the house without snacks and a water bottle. |
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3. Surabhi Dogra @SurabhiDogra Youth Interviewer “As teens, I wish we’d learned about the changes in our bodies beyond the rigid and limited information available in our biology books. We should have talked about how to protect ourselves from sexual violence and adolescent pregnancy.” FUN FACT Surabhi enjoys using creative art forms like theater and photography to explore the nuances of health systems. |
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4. Chidimma Maduabum Youth Interviewer “I turn to pharmacists and other healthcare professionals for my reproductive health decisions.” FUN FACT Chidimma hates being late. “It stresses me out!” |
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5. Haniffa Arista Putri @kisara_bali Youth Graphic Designer “I wish someone had told me the importance of sex education when I was younger. Nobody taught me, so I taught myself by reading books.” FUN FACT When not advancing women’s issues, you can find Haniffa supporting local products in her hometown of Denpasar. |
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6. Dr. Catherine Baye-Easton @bayekate2 Youth Writer “Teenage me should have known that using contraceptives didn’t make me a slut, immoral or promiscuous. Rather, it meant I was safe and could make informed decisions about my body, health and family.” FUN FACT Catherine’s favorite song is “Baby Shark!” |
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7. Victoria Milanzi @vicmilanzi Youth Interviewer “What should teenagers know about contraceptive use? If you can’t abstain, use contraceptives.” FUN FACT Victoria prides herself on having never been to boarding school. |
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8. Tanaka Chirombo @TanakaChirombo1 Youth Photographer “My mother and grandmother are in my squad when it comes to my health decisions.” FUN FACT Tanaka is a self-proclaimed social butterfly. “I love talking to everyone!” |
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9. Esther Nantambi @youthEcenter Youth Interviewer “Growing up, my mother would say things like: ‘If you have sex with boys, you are going to disappoint God and get HIV/AIDS!’ Our neighbors would say she was ruining our innocence by using words like ‘sex.’ But we turned out just fine.” FUN FACT Esther’s life goal is to create a youth mentorship system to support the next generation in making healthy life decisions. |
Banner photo: (c) PSI/Benjamin Schilling
