It is a well-known fact that knowledge acquisition transforms societies. As a living testimony, Emmanuel Phiri is one such young man who has demonstrated that with knowledge comes societal change. Emmanuel works as a volunteer at the Youth Friendly Space, Chawama Level 1 Hospital in Lusaka District, Zambia.

Growing up, Emmanuel faced a healthy challenge. At one year old, he had epilepsy, which caused him to have multiple seizures, and at some point, it paralysed his right arm, causing a hand deformity.

In the years that followed, Emmanuel frequented hospitals, a situation which affected his emotional and social well-being. He is currently on carbamazepine, the treatment of partial seizures with complex symptomatology, which he takes daily.

Emmanuel still experiences seizures, but they have reduced over the years. His health challenge has prompted him to choose a career in medicine.

To help build his confidence, Emmanuel joined a group of adolescents at the Youth Friendly Space Chawama Level 1 Hospital, a safe and confidential space to access information and services on various topics, including sexual and reproductive health, life skills, and psychosocial support.

Upon joining, Emmanuel was trained as a peer educator in Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), a project implemented by the “Enhancing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Menstrual Hygiene to Differently Abled Adolescents” (ESMADA) project.

 Armed with the knowledge of CSE, Emmanuel now engages with adolescents at the Youth Friendly Space. Also, he helps mobilise people in the community during outreach activities.

Through his work, he has facilitated various outreach initiatives at the facility by sharing information on sexual reproductive health to empower young people with knowledge to make informed decisions.