Chipili District, Luapula Province — Youth Voices Connect
In many rural communities, adolescents carry the consequences of weak services—yet they are rarely invited into the spaces where decisions are made. In Chipili District, young people decided to change that.
Limited economic resources, few recreational and social amenities, and barriers to accessing reliable sexual and reproductive health information and services – Long distances to health posts can make access even harder, contributing to teenage pregnancies, school dropout, and poor health outcomes for young people.
In Chipili District of Luapula Province, these challenges are not abstract. Communities have seen young girls drop out of school, be pushed into early marriage, and experience gender-based violence—often with little space to speak openly about what they face or what they need.
Through Youth Voices Connect (YVC)—a project funded by GIZ—young people in Chipili are taking a different route: using social accountability tools to amplify their voices on the health issues that matter most to them.
When we came together and spoke with one voice, our leaders listened. Now we know that our voices matter.
— Adolescent, Chipili District
From silence to evidence: using the community score card
Accessing quality health services is not only a matter of availability—it is also about whether young people feel able to demand services that respond to them. In many settings, deeply rooted beliefs can discourage adolescents from questioning leaders or health workers, even when those services are meant to be youth-tailored.
With foundational training, young people gained skills and knowledge to engage leaders and health providers more confidently and constructively. The training introduced social accountability tools and processes, including the community score card.
With support, the young people in Chipili implemented the community score card to identify gaps and issues affecting their access to health services.
Taking evidence to decision-makers
Armed with findings and proposed solutions, adolescents presented their results during a district-level indaba to stakeholders including health providers, headmen, and parents. It was a shift from informal concerns to formal civic participation: young people speaking in structured spaces, with clarity about what needs to change.
A tangible leadership response: land for youth-led farming
Following the indaba, local leadership responded with concrete action. Headman Mapaimbe allocated a portion of land to young people for farming-related activities.
As a leader, I am very passionate about adolescents, and I am open to having the young people come to share any concerns they have.
— Headman Mapaimbe
Why this matters
This is a practical example of “youth participation” producing a real outcome. Adolescents moved from informal concerns to structured accountability: they used a community score card, presented evidence and solutions in a district forum, and triggered a concrete leadership response.
It also shows why adolescent health cannot be separated from the conditions that shape everyday choices. Young people in Chipili linked risks such as teenage pregnancy and school dropout to information barriers, long distances to services, and limited economic opportunities.  The land allocation is therefore more than a symbolic gesture—it is a locally owned, youth-informed step towards strengthening stability and future pathways for adolescents.
