CSA Founders, Board of Directors, the Secretariat, partners and some of the Youth Champions during the event./PHOTO ; Courtesy
When 24-year-old Ashleyna Kazungu from Kilifi walks into a classroom to teach pupils about sexual and reproductive health, she carries more than lesson notes; she carries hope for a healthier, more empowered generation.
Her journey is one of thousands shaped by the Centre for the Study of Adolescence (CSA), a Kenyan organization that has spent 37 years investing in the health, dignity, and futures of young people.
Founded in the late 1980s, CSA emerged in response to a national crisis. Hospitals were recording alarming cases of adolescent pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths. The cause?
A lack of information and access to sexual and reproductive health services.
A group of gynecologists, researchers, and advocates came together, determined to change that.
Their mission: to generate evidence, influence policy, and ensure that every young person in Kenya can make informed decisions about their health and future.
From Research to Real Lives
Decades later, CSA’s work has reached thousands of young people across Kenya, transforming lives through education, policy advocacy, and economic empowerment.
For Ashleyna, the change began in 2023 when she joined CSA’s Climate Change and SRHR Project. As a member of the Beach Management Unit in Kilifi, she had seen how climate change disrupted livelihoods.
Through CSA’s training, she learned to connect environmental issues with sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and to turn knowledge into action.
Her group now runs awareness sessions in schools and health centres, linking SRHR education to sustainable livelihoods such as beekeeping, poultry farming, butterfly farming, and mariculture.
“We get crablets from suppliers, put them in ocean cages, and after three to six months, they mature. Once ready, we sell them to earn an income,” she explains.
Through her youth group, Dabaso Youth for Green Future, Ashleyna has not only created jobs but also empowered women to join the once male-dominated mariculture trade.
“Being able to confidently handle a crab is a success story for me,” she says proudly.
Their work promotes gender equality, environmental conservation, and youth economic empowerment, clear proof that when young people are supported, they lead lasting social change.
Protecting Vulnerable Children
In Kakamega County, Velma Olunga tells a different but equally powerful story. She works with CSA under the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Project, helping underage children who face neglect and abuse.
Through Child Rights Clubs and school outreaches, her team provides Comprehensive Sexuality equipping children with knowledge to protect themselves from gender-based violence and exploitation.
“But through clubs and discussions, they learn about their bodies, personal boundaries, and safety.”
The team also uses community mapping to identify safe and unsafe spaces for children. In Likuyani, for instance, pupils pointed out a market area with many bars as unsafe insights that were shared with local authorities to improve protection measures.
Marking 37 Years of Impact
To celebrate 37 years of advancing adolescent and youth SRHR, CSA hosted the Horizon37 Youth Symposium in Nairobi, bringing together youth leaders, government officials, civil society groups, and development partners.
Themed “Youth Voices Leading Bold SRHR Futures,” the symposium reflected on CSA’s evolution from a small research initiative into a national leader shaping adolescent health and policy.
Honouring a Legacy of Leadership
Rosemary Muganda, Chair of CSA’s Board of Directors, captured the organization’s spirit in her keynote remarks.
“I am really proud to be associated with this organization, especially seeing what young people have done,” she said.
She recalled CSA’s early struggles, from limited funding to cultural resistance, and how determination led to major milestones like Kenya’s first Adolescent Health Policy.
“CSA was born out of frustration,” she noted, recalling the case of a 12-year-old girl who gave birth at Kenyatta Hospital, a tragedy that inspired the organization’s founding.
Rosemary urged youth to continue expanding partnerships and collaborations.
“Young people are not waiting for permission to lead,” she said. “Go out there and find partners who share your vision.”
She also thanked key partners, including the Government of Kenya, UNFPA, Hivos, and RFSU, whose support has sustained CSA’s mission for nearly four decades.
A Journey of Growth and Transformation
CSA’s Executive Director, Humphres Evelia, walked participants through the organization’s journey from its beginnings as a small group of doctors and researchers to a national institution working in 22 counties.
He highlighted how CSA’s focus has expanded beyond health to include child protection, menstrual hygiene, digital literacy, climate resilience, and youth economic empowerment.
“Health begins at home with awareness and hygiene and grows into a lifelong foundation for wellbeing,” he said. “By empowering young people early, we nurture a healthier, more informed generation.”
Government and Global Partners Reaffirm Support
Representing the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jacqueline Kisia, Head of the Adolescent Health Unit, praised CSA for 37 years of partnership and innovation.
“Young people are not passive recipients of health programs; they are leaders, innovators, and essential partners,” she said.
She commended CSA’s initiatives such as Friends of the Youth, She Soars, and We Lead for strengthening youth-friendly services and linking SRHR with mental health and climate resilience.
“This symposium is not just a celebration, it’s a call to action,” she added.
“The next 37 years depend on how boldly we walk together with young people’s voices as our compass.”
Adding a global perspective, Kristine Himmelstrup, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at the Danish Family Planning Association (DFPA), reaffirmed their commitment to CSA’s youth-led programs.
“It’s inspiring to see how passionate young people are about driving change,” she said.
“When we commit to ‘nothing about us without us,’ we see the power of true youth leadership.”
Looking Ahead
As CSA marks 37 years, its journey stands as a story of philanthropy, resilience, and social investment. What began as a small response to a national crisis has become a continental model for youth empowerment and health advocacy.
From policy reform to grassroots action, from classrooms to coastlines, CSA continues to invest in Kenya’s greatest resource, its young people.
And as the next generation led by voices like Ashleyna’s and Velma’s takes the mantle, one thing is clear: when youth lead, bold SRHR futures are not just possible, they are inevitable.
