Youth leading youth: Reaching rural and out of school youth with sexual and reproductive health education

In 2011, dedicated Fellows from the Public Health Institute's Youth Leadership in Sexual and Reproductive Health Program (GOJoven) established the GOJoven Alumni Association (GOBelize), a youth-led non-governmental organization whose mission is developing youth leadership, sexual & reproductive health, and environmental awareness programs that respond to the current needs of youth in Belize. GOJoven builds the capacity of young Latin American leaders to act as social change agents to address adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR) behaviors, policies, programs and services at individual, organizational and community levels. Since 2004, the 46 GOJoven Fellows in Belize have implemented six leadership action projects in their communities that address some of the challenges to their SRH such as unwanted pregnancies, sexual violence and discrimination in accessing family planning services. These projects work with mostly rural and out of school youth by educating, advocating and creating awareness of these barriers to sexual health. Several projects were implemented by these youth leaders to reach rural and out of school youth with comprehensive SRH education. In 2006, fellows worked on the rural border of Belize and Guatemala to educate young people and in 2011, fellows coordinated programs targeting young people aged 15-24 in Northern Belize. In March of 2012, GOBelize, in collaboration with United Nations Development Program, will reach out to another 1,200 rural and out of school youth within the age group. All of these youth-led programs are designed using interactive methods that capture the attention, participation and attendance of young people in Belize.