By Megan Briede, Director of Programmes, Save the Children South Africa
June 2026
At Save the Children South Africa, we believe that meaningful change happens when young people are not only beneficiaries of programmes but active partners in shaping solutions. As Director of Programmes, I am proud to share that during the first quarter of 2026, our youth-focused initiatives continued to demonstrate measurable impact and strategic progress.
Through our Skills to Succeed and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) programmes, of young people were equipped to make informed choices, build their confidence and access opportunities that support their future. These are designed not only to deliver immediate support but to strengthen long-term systems of youth participation, employability, and health access.
SRHR- HIV Knows No Borders
Through our SRHR-HIV Knows No Borders programme, 8,700 young vulnerable people, including migrants, were reached with comprehensive correct information on sexuality, HIV/AIDS, STIs, pregnancy, contraception, migration, human rights and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights information in Musina (Limpopo), Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge (Mpumalanga). Out of the total of 8,700 young vulnerable people reached, 1,706 young people were referred for health and support services with 1,020 having successfully accessed those services. This referral-to-access ratio demonstrates both the demand for services and the effectiveness of our linkage mechanisms.
Young people themselves played a central role in this work, with 25 trained youth Change Agents leading community outreach, school-based education sessions and awareness campaigns that reached some of the most vulnerable adolescents in border and migrant communities. By embedding youth leadership into programme delivery, we are building sustainable peer-to-peer networks that extend beyond the life of individual projects.
Skills to Succeed
At the same time, our Skills to Succeed programme continued to help young people move closer to employment, entrepreneurship and economic independence, with 1359 reached in quarter one. Across our youth portfolio, young people gained access to employability support, mentorship, career guidance and pathways to jobs and training opportunities. These results reflect a growing emphasis on aligning training with market needs, ensuring that young people are not only trained but positioned for real economic participation.
Strategic Outlook
Together, these programmes reflect our commitment to ensuring that young people are not passive recipients of support, but active leaders, advocates and changemakers. Our strategy remains clear: when young people are included in decisions that affect their lives, communities become stronger, systems become more resilient, and futures become brighter. Looking forward, we will continue to scale evidence-based approaches, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and embed youth leadership into every stage of programme design and delivery.
