Looking back, the most defining aspect of my A360 journey was witnessing Meaningful Adolescent and Youth Engagement (MAYE) transitioning from a guiding principle into a sustainable model for transforming health programming in Kano State. Rather than engaging young people solely as beneficiaries, A360 empowered them as co-creators, decision-makers, and advocates. Watching adolescents and youth assume leadership positions within Ward Development Committees (WDCs), Technical Working Groups (TWGs), and government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), while influencing program adaptation and driving locally-owned MAYE initiatives, reaffirmed that lasting change is achieved when communities lead the process. Equally inspiring was seeing how adaptive implementation and human-centered design fostered continuous program improvement by using routine data, supportive supervision, and iterative learning to refine interventions in real time. These experiences reshaped my understanding of evidence generation – it is not confined to research alone but is equally built
through listening to communities, learning from implementation, and adapting accordingly. A360 has strengthened my commitment to championing knowledge management, documentation, and evidence dissemination so that locally-generated innovations continue to inform policy, strengthen health systems, and improve adolescents’ and young people’s access to quality sexual and reproductive health services long after the project concludes.
Aliyu A. Aliyu
Program officer SBCC
Nigeria | A360 MMA | 2024-2026
