Our Primary Beneficiaries
Established in 2003, Students and Youth Working on reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) is a Southern African Advocacy Institution championing the health and education rights of children, adolescents, students and youth. These primary beneficiaries represent distinct yet interconnected stages of growth, each with unique health and educations needs that demand targeted, age-appropriate interventions to ensure the full realization of their rights and potential.
Our Integrated Approach: SAYWHAT+
At SAYWHAT, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is the foundation of our work, empowering young people with knowledge and skills to make informed decisions and protect themselves from health risks such as STIs, HIV/AIDS, unplanned pregnancies, and unsafe abortions. We recognize that health, education, and child protection are deeply interconnected, particularly in Eastern and Southern Africa, where roughly 25% of adolescent girls give birth before 18, reinforcing gender inequities and undermining wellbeing.
While SRHR remains our anchor, we have expanded into three strategic pillars: Public Health – Education – Child Protection. These pillars are supported by subthemes including climate action, disaster preparedness and emergencies, drug and substance abuse prevention, empowerment and livelihoods, maternal health, mental health, communicable and non-communicable diseases – all intersecting to strengthen our integrated approach.
Recognizing the transformative power of technology, we introduced Digital Health as our fourth pillar, an enabler and cross-cutting accelerator that enhances access, scalability, and innovation across all focus areas. In today’s digital era, where online spaces influence young people’s health, education and protection, Digital Health bridges divides, and safeguards wellbeing.
Our Regional Footprint
SAYWHAT was established in Zimbabwe, where our headquarters remain, and began its regional expansion in 2015 to respond to the urgent need for a coordinated voice that empowers students and youth to shape health and education priorities within broader regional policies. Through the Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference (SARSYC), we have built strong networks including the Girls Education Advocacy in the Region (GEAR) Alliance, convened SARSYC in multiple countries and opened chapters in Zambia and Malawi. Today SAYWHAT’s footprint spans Southern Africa and we aspire to become a pan-African movement with continental coverage by 2050.
