International Youth Day 2026: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations!”
To mark International Youth Day 2026, LLWCI organised a one-day conference under the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations!” Young people shared experiences and reflected on how their circumstances shape their aspirations, opportunities and challenges. The central message was that young people come from different social, economic and personal backgrounds, yet share many of the same goals and face similar barriers.
The SWOT Board Session
The main session, anchored by Dr. Munachiso Odulana, asked each participant to identify:
- their aspirations and individual context
- their strengths and areas for improvement
- the opportunities and threats around them
- the safe spaces where they find support
Participants then turned these reflections into practical personal action plans.
Key takeaways
- Young people are capable and often multitask across many responsibilities.
- Civic responsibility: participants were encouraged to take part in forthcoming elections and avoid election apathy.
- Digital responsibility: they were urged to stay away from cybercrime and use online platforms productively.
- Opportunities: they were encouraged to explore youth development programmes such as iDICE.
Areas participants chose to work on
- Execute more: take action, not just plans.
- Pitch yourself: learn to sell your skills and ideas.
- Build resilience: keep going despite setbacks.
- Communicate and network: speak up and be heard.
Looking ahead
Participants will put their action plans into practice. LLWCI will keep creating spaces for experience sharing, mentorship and networking, and will strengthen follow-up on the action points young people set.
Little Light Women and Children Initiative, in strategic partnership with [G-FLEN], conducted Menstrual Hygiene and Teenage Pregnancy Awareness Campaign at Comprehensive high school, Idu Uruan, Akwa Ibom State and Diplomat High School, Idoro on June 23,2025 and June 26,2025 respectively. The outreach program was attended by students from various class arms, school administrators, teachers, and representatives from both partner organizations. The program featured interactive sessions led by facilitators from both organizations. LLWCI’s Program Manager handled the session on menstrual hygiene while the G-FLEN state representative facilitated the teenage pregnancy awareness session. The sessions were designed to be age-appropriate, encouraging active participation and open dialogue among students. The program utilized age-appropriate presentation methods, practical demonstrations, and open discussion sessions to ensure effective knowledge transfer. Participating students received practical support in the form of sanitary pads. Throughout both sessions, students demonstrated exceptional engagement, actively participating in discussions and asking pertinent questions that reflected their genuine interest in learning about these important health topics.
Key results achieved: Successfully reached 350 students with comprehensive menstrual hygiene and reproductive health education, through interactive learning and practical demonstrations. We provided practical support through distribution of 450 sanitary pads [350 to students, 50 to each school for emergencies].
