"Joining ZAFAYCO's expanding civic space project was a life-changing experience for me. I used to be unaware of my country's laws and my duties as a citizen. However, through the project, I learned about democratic processes, human rights, and how to protect my personal data, both offline and online. Participating in the youth-adult dialogue session was a dream come true for me. I had the opportunity to ask questions and share my thoughts with the responsible authorities, including the judicial system. This engagement was an eye-opening experience, and it inspired me to educate my community and fellow youth on their rights. I am grateful for the project, which has made me more aware and confident in advocating for expanding civic space. I am committed to doing more towards its realization."

"Thanks to ZAFAYCO and its CIVIC SPACE project, I have grown in so many ways. Before the project, I struggled with expressing myself and lacked the confidence to stand up for my rights. However, with the skills I gained from the project, I am now able to confidently express myself and advocate for my rights when someone tries to infringe upon them. The project also taught me about the importance of physical and digital security, which has been invaluable in protecting myself both in person and online. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the project and for the new skills and knowledge I have acquired. It has been a life-changing experience for me and has helped me become a better leader and a more confident member of my community."

As a peer educator at the Bumbwisudi Youth Friendly Services (YFS) center, I thought I knew the basics when it came SRHR. But my real connection to this work didn’t come until I joined the Kijiweni Network and started interacting more with the youth in my community. It was during one of their visits to our center that I began to see firsthand just how much young people are struggling, not only with their SRH but also with the lack of proper support and information. Before joining the Kijiweni Network, my ability to reach youth outside the center was really limited. We didn’t have structured outreach plans or even the resources to make it happen consistently. I felt like I was doing my part but knew I could do so much more. Then Kijiweni came along and completely changed the game. The network gave me the opportunity to reach out to youth in other centers, like the one in Mwera, and to actually take our work beyond the walls of Bumbwisudi.

I can’t express enough how grateful I am to have been part of this project. More than just gaining the confidence to speak in front of others, I’ve developed crucial skills that help me share SRHR information and guide other young people to the services they need. What really surprised me was how much trust young people in my community placed in me. At first, it felt like I was just having casual chats with my friends, but soon I realized it was much more serious. After one of these discussions, several young people approached me privately, asking, “What do I do now that I want to use the family planning methods you talked about? How should I start? Where should I go? Can I trust the services?” Their questions showed me just how important these conversations are, and it felt so rewarding to be someone they trusted to guide them through these decisions.