How VSO is supporting marginalised youth and adolescents to access quality education and inclusive health services.
As health and education services are disrupted around the world, it's the most vulnerable that are bearing the brunt of the impact. Youth and adolescents living with disabilities face barriers accessing inclusive sexual reproductive health services (SRHR), putting them at increased risk of being left behind.
VSO volunteers are working to address these challenges by raising awareness of sexual health services and reproductive rights for youth and adolescents living with disabilities, and by training healthcare providers to deliver inclusive sexual health services.
In recognition of World Health Day this month, we will be joined on this webinar by three inspiring individuals who have all been directly involved in VSO projects.
Meet our speakers
Abaynesh, involved in VSO's Promoting inclusive SRHR services for Adolescent and Young People with Disabilities project
Abaynesh from Ethiopia has a physical disability that causes her spine to be misaligned. When she fell pregnant healthcare professionals didn't know how to treat a pregnant woman with this physical condition, resulting in complicated labour. Abaynesh's story is sadly one of many that we hear from young disabled people struggling to access sexual and reproductive health and rights services.
She'll be talking about how VSO volunteers have been promoting inclusive sexual reproductive health rights and services for adolescents and young people with disabilities, and training health services providers to improve their knowledge and skills about inclusive sexual reproductive health rights services.
Esther and Nasra, students on the Education for Life project
We will also be joined by Esther and Nasra from Kenya. Esther and Nasra were both involved in VSO's Education for Life programme, which supports 5,000 out-of-school girls aged between 10-19 years, girls with disabilities. The girls receive the education they need to find good jobs and build a better future, through basic literacy, numeracy and life skills training.
Esther is 19 years old and joined a catch-up centre in December 2019. In January this year, Esther successfully finished her education at the centre and is currently undertaking an apprenticeship training skills course to start a career in hairdressing.
Nasra is one of the first cohorts of girls in the Education for Life project. After catching up on her literacy and numeracy skills at the centre, Nasra has decided she wants to be an entrepreneur. Last month, she started a short course of entrepreneurship training. After she completes the course she will begin setting up her own business with help of an entrepreneurs' start-up kit from VSO.
We will also be joined by:
- Rahma Suleiman Education Facilitator supporting the Education for Life programme, Kenya
- Rael Nyahiri, Education Facilitator supporting the Education for Life programme, Kenya
- Hanan Arebu, Project Assistant supporting the Adolescent Youth People with Disabilities, Ethiopia
Recap the webinar
Webinar recording
Presentation slides