Written By Bernard Otu Assim-Ita and Mercy Abalaku
In a quiet community clinic in Kaduna State, a young married woman nervously asked about family planning options. The health worker she met didn’t dismiss her or shame her. Instead, she listened. With patience, empathy, and understanding. For the woman, this wasn’t just a service; it was the first time she felt seen.
This kind of encounter doesn’t happen by chance, it’s built on intentional training, trust, and a shift in how care is delivered.
Across Nigeria, young people particularly those aged 18 to 24 continue to face challenges accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services that are not only available but truly responsive to their needs. And while resources matter, it is often the attitudes, knowledge, and communication skills of service providers that make the biggest difference.
Understanding this, Education as a Vaccine (EVA), under the SAABI Project funded by Girl Effect, organized a four-day capacity-building workshop for 80 participants. 40 female health workers and 40 male community champions, from Kudan, Kauru, Makarfi, and Jaba Local Government Areas in Kaduna State.
But this was not just another training. It was a purposeful investment in the people who stand at the intersection of policy and community: those whose everyday choices determine whether a young person walks away empowered or silenced.
The workshop was designed to do more than disseminate information. It sought to foster a shift in mindset, focusing on how care can become more youth-responsive, inclusive, and empathetic. Participants engaged in practical modules covering:
- Principles of youth-friendly service delivery
- Effective counseling and communication techniques
- Overview of contraceptive methods and safety
- Addressing gender norms and societal misconceptions
- Building trust through confidentiality and non-judgmental care
While the content was technical, the approach was deeply human. Participants weren’t just told what to do, they were invited to reflect on how they see, speak to, and support young people.
Hafeezah’s reflection mirrors what many others expressed: a realization that effective care begins with listening, not prescribing and that trust can be built with every respectful conversation.
In many rural communities, young married couples especially women face stigma, misinformation, and silence when it comes to family planning. Male involvement is often limited, and gender expectations continue to shape how health decisions are made or avoided. That’s why EVA’s training was intentionally inclusive of male community champions, recognizing that change requires more than healthcare it needs culture shifts.
By positioning men not just as supporters but as facilitators of change, EVA is helping reframe harmful narratives and open new pathways for dialogue in conservative settings. Another goal of the training was to create a ripple effect. where health workers and community champions carry the knowledge forward, catalyzing awareness and access in their own spaces.
Saratu’s view reflects EVA’s broader strategy: to invest in the people who already hold influence so that quality, dignity, and youth-friendliness become part of everyday care, not just project language.
As Nigeria continues to strengthen its health systems, one truth is becoming clear: policies alone won’t change lives, but people can. This training affirmed three core insights for EVA and its partners:
- Collaboration amplifies impact. Health workers, champions, and local leaders must work together to dismantle access barriers.
- Empathy is a skill. It can be taught, practiced, and embedded into service delivery.
- Transformation is internal first. True systems change begins when people begin to see and serve differently.
When young people enter health facilities, they should feel respected, heard, and supported. That future becomes possible when we equip those on the frontlines with more than guidelines; we equip them with the tools, values, and confidence to lead change.
The 80 participants who returned to their communities after the training didn’t just leave with certificates, they left with purpose. Whether through a counseling session, a group dialogue, or a quiet moment of reassurance, they are now positioned to make health care safer, smarter, and more compassionate for young people.
This is not an isolated win, it’s a glimpse of what becomes possible when communities are trusted, capacities are built, and systems are humanized. Because when we invest in people, we don’t just improve programs, we transform futures.