We co-create solutions with key stakeholders to solve the unique challenges for:
OUR RESOURCES
Rights Based Solutions For Systemic Change
Adolescence
Young Adulthood
Parenthood
Adult Caregiving
Our
Programs
At ZanaAfrica, we implement innovative programs designed to support adolescents in Kenya as they navigate puberty and unlock their full potential. Our work spans individual support and systems change, ensuring that our impact reaches all levels of society. We do this through two primary programs:
Nia Learning
Nia Learning is ZanaAfrica’s rights-based health education program designed to equip adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate their health, relationships, and futures. It includes topics such as puberty and reproductive health, rights and safety, mental health and wellness, as well as life skills, consent, and gender-based violence prevention.
The program is delivered through interactive sessions, both in-person and online, and complemented by the Nia Teen magazine, which uses stories and comics to educate and empower adolescents. The program is grounded in evidence and was proven effective through a two-year randomized controlled trial in Kilifi County, conducted in partnership with the Government of Kenya, Kilifi County Government, Population Council, Plan International, and with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Due to deeply ingrained social taboos, adolescents in Kenya do not receive reproductive health and life skills education in consistent, rights-based ways, putting them at risk for grooming, sexual assault, and other harmful situations.
By training teachers and mentors to deliver engaging and rights-based health education, Nia Learning empowers adolescents and supports the next generation to thrive, contributing to broader gender justice.
60
of girls drop out of secondary school
25
of girls don’t even make it to secondary school
10
of transactional sex by 15 year olds is for pads
92
of adolescents first sexual encounters are unintended
11.7
Average age of first (unwanted) sex
25
of girls don’t even make it to secondary school
Creating change with and for communities
We work with communities to scale ZanaAfrica’s impact, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to deliver rights-based health education. Through multiple delivery channels, we extend the reach of our program and ensure more adolescents can access consistent, high-quality learning. This includes:
Digital Training
Supporting community-based organizations (CBOs), teachers, and well-wishers with the tools to deliver health education sessions locally.
Teacher coaching and support
Providing teacher training and, in the future, direct-to-children learning, both online and in person.
Trainer of Trainers
Facilitating short-term children’s clubs through partner organizations.
Since 2021, this program has reached over 20,000 adolescents.
Ingraining ZanaAfrica’s Nia Learning in Schools
ZanaAfrica collaborates with the Ministry of Education to integrate the Nia Learning program into public schools across subjects for Grades 4–9.
This initiative equips teachers with the skills to deliver life-changing health education to adolescents, enabling them to take control of their bodies, decisions, and futures. “We aim to reach 200,000 adolescents by 2026 through this public school initiative.”
Our Partners
