Carla Yulima, 16, lives in Zango with her parents and has been an active presence in the SYP stands. For her, SYP is not just a programme, but a beacon of hope for teenagers and young people. "For me," she says with conviction, "SYP stands for saving, protecting, helping, transforming lives, changing mentalities, actions and so on."

She shares how her life has changed since she started taking part in the programme. "I stopped following advice that I myself knew was wrong for me," confesses Carla. Her journey with SYP has helped her find her voice and the courage to challenge this harmful advice.

As a teenager, Carla highlights another significant transformation. "I learnt to understand my body better and to discuss topics like sex openly," she reveals. She now feels confident enough to take part in these group discussions, demonstrating a remarkable growth in her self-confidence.

But Carla isn't just thinking about herself. She has hopes and dreams for the future. In a heartfelt request to the mobilisers and implementers of the programme, she expresses her desire for additional opportunities. "I would like them to offer courses, scholarships, to help us achieve future dreams."

(Carla, SYP beneficiary)

For his part, Luís Artur, the Coordinator of the Casas de Chapa neighbourhood, the area where the programme is being implemented, shares his perspective with pride. "As the leader of this population, the programme is of great value to me". With a smile on his face, he continued, "A lot of things that we used to see as negative have now returned to normal, they've become positive. That's all thanks to this programme”.

(Luís Artur, Coordinator of the Casas de Chapa neighbourhood, Zango)

The United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, has been implementing the Safeguarding Youth Programme - SYP - in Angola since 2021, whose main objective is to empower adolescents and young people aged between 10 and 24 to protect themselves from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV, early and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, early marriages, gender-based violence and harmful cultural practices, while promoting gender equality standards and protective behaviours. SYP is being implemented in 12 southern African countries, including Angola, in the provinces of Luanda, Cunene, Namibe, Huíla and Cuando Cubango.

@Testimonials collected in August 2023.

~Dorivaldo Caetano, Social Media Associate