Workshop participants analyze recommendations for youth malaria prevention and treatment.

In late May, Banyan Global held a Youth Integration Workshop in Uganda as part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)- and President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)-funded Malaria Action Program for Districts.

The workshop took place in the Koboko district of Uganda and targeted district health officers and district community development officers from the surrounding Arua region. The purpose of the workshop was to encourage cross-collaboration among the participants in their malaria prevention efforts for youth, with a focus on Positive Youth Development (PYD).

PYD is both a philosophy and an approach to adolescent development that engages youth along with their families, communities, schools, and peer groups in a manner that is productive and constructive. It promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and furnishing the support needed for youth to reach their full potential.

Workshop participants share challenges they have faced in implementing malaria prevention programs for youth in Uganda.

The workshop included several different activities aimed at getting participants to work together to ensure that youth considerations are integrated throughout malaria prevention interventions. In one activity, participants shared their stories of meaningful youth engagement. By sharing personal anecdotes and lessons learned, participants were able to put together a list of key components of enabling environments for meaningful youth engagement, as well as to discuss successes and challenges in their work. The workshop resulted in a list of potential activities to address the recommendations for how best to implement malaria prevention strategies and actions by and for youth at the district level.