Over the past seven years, the Growing Up GREAT! project has worked to promote sexual and reproductive health and gender equity among very young adolescents in Kinshasa. The end-of-project webinar told the story of Growing Up GREAT!, and members across the project team reflected on and shared lessons learned from design, implementation and scale up, as well as insights for building equitable partnerships and giving a voice to adolescents.

Click on the speakers’/panelists’ names to view their biographies.

The collection of presentations that told the story of Growing Up GREAT! was introduced and moderated by Project Director Dr. Rebecka Lundgren, and a panel discussion and dedicated Q/A session led to a dynamic discussion with participants.

Our speakers were:
Dr. Blandine Aveledi, former ASRH Manager, Save the Children International (DRC)
Jennifer Gayles, Senior Advisor, Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH), Save the Children
Dr. Eric Mafuta, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa
Mariam Diakité, Consultant in Research, Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation, University of California San Diego, Center on Gender Equity and Health
Dr. Kathryn M. Barker, Assistant Professor, University of California San Diego, Center on Gender Equity and Health

Our panelists were:
GraDi Mbadu, Executive Secretary, Growing Up GREAT! Youth Advisory Council
Dr. Pierrot Mbela, former ASRH Program Director, Save the Children (DRC)
Déborah Balelia Wema Aziza, National Coordinator, Network of Congolese Adolescents and Youth in Population and Development (RAJCOPOD)
Dr. Mbadu Muanda, Director, Ministry of Health, National Adolescent Health Program
Mme. Christine Nepa-Nepa, Secretary General, Ministry of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education