ABOUT BLYSON:
Blissful Life for Youth Society of Nigeria (BLYSON) is a Non- profit and non-governmental organization incorporated in Nigeria in 2009 with a primary focus of creating a platform to empower young people including Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) with the skills needed to be successful in all spheres of life. Young people constitute a great resource and the future of any society
and face a myriad of challenges including but not limited to social, economic, low self-esteem, mental ill health, HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse etc. Approximately one in 20 young people (15- 24) are infected with curable transmitted infection annually and the age group accounts for more than half of all new HIV infections. This is not a healthy trend and calls for effective and corrective measures to reduce the rate of HIV infections in Nigeria especially among young people. In the past years, BLYSON has taken strides to provide information on Sexual Transmission Prevention (STP) for young people and to aid them to redefine their lives for a successful future through seminars, workshops, Conferences, and the publication of the book titled-Steps to a Blissful Life. Through advocacy to the then commissioner of Education Dr Adeleke Pitan, Steps to a Blissful Life is currently a recommended text in all secondary schools in the state. In 2011, BLYSON in collaboration with Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNi) and support from CDC, enrolled 1,000 Orphan and Vulnerable Children in Amuwo Odofin and Ajeromi Ifelodun local government area in Lagos state. The services provided include psychosocial support, health services, child protection educational support, nutritional counseling and referral. Activities carried out include advocacy visit, community sensitization and mobilization for vulnerable children enrollment and services provision. BLYSON is one of the Community- Based Organizations presently working in partnership with Family Health International (FHI 360) on the project- Strengthening Integrated delivery of HIV/ AIDS Services ( SIDHAS Project) with Sponsorship from US Agency for International Development (USAID). Core activities of the SIDHAS Project include: Advocacy to community leaders on HCT, Care & Support for PLHIV,HCT, OVC Identification, Enrollment And Service, Community Mobilization on HTC,PMTCT, Gender Based Violence and Stigma/Discrimination, Peer-Educator led Cohort Session, Tracking and/Referral, IPAC Meetings, Home Visits to people living with HIV/AIDS /PABAS Support Group Meetings e.t.c
BLYSON is also one of the organizations selected for the 2014 US Ambassador’s PEPFAR Small grant Program 2014, for grass root community development with sponsorship from U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
For 2015, BLYSON has won the US Grant for the next five years to reach over 30, 500 orphans and vulnerable children and households to implement the new USAID funded LOPIN project in eleven wards in Ojo local government area. Our aim as an organization therefore, is to mentor youths so as to reduce the high rate of HIV infection among youth/ Children in Nigeria and equally provide care and support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children including their caregivers, This we do through advocacy, seminars, conferences, skill acquisition training and workshops to youth and providing educational, physiological, medical and nutritional support, etc. to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) not excluding caregivers, Widows and other Vulnerable women. BLYSON is currently working in 5 Local Government areas in Lagos state which includes- Amuwo-Odofin, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Ojo, Apapa and Kosofe. OUR VISION:
Raising an empowered generation. GUIDING QUOTE
“ Nothing is of more importance for public well-being than to train and bring up youth in wisdom and virtue"..........Benjamin Franklin. OBJECTIVES:
•To reduce the high rate of HIV infection in Nigeria
•To develop a total youth, -a youth who is healthy, confident, educated, career-minded and philanthropic.
•To develop a youth who has a clear picture of his road map in life.
•To provide opportunities for young people to redefine their lives for successful future.
•To provide through its services the basic needs of orphans and vulnerable children and children in poor communities and expanding their opportunities to reach full life potentials.
•To empower Caregivers, Widows and other Vulnerable women in Nigeria so that they will in turn be able to care for their young ones. BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
1. Oby Awugosi-Educational Director-Clairemont School Lagos. Founder/President Blissful Life for Youth Society of Nigeria (BLYSON). ADDRESS:7th House, 13th Road, 6th Avenue, Festac -Town Lagos
2. Yemi Osilaja-Advertising Practitioner, Former Country Director- HOPE World- Wide Nigeria (HWWN), Executive Director- New Era Foundation, Founder/Chairman-Light Level Ltd, ACE Cladding Ltd, Tadeotech Ltd. ADDRESS: 230 Ikorodu Rd, Obanigoro,Lagos.
3. Wale Adeduro-Media practitioner as well as a management Consultant, former head of administration Zenith Bank. Currently the Chief Executive officer-Lisida Consulting. Senior pastor- The Redeemed Christian church of God in Lagos. ADDRESS: 4 Remi Oyefiade close,Oke Nraira Ajah.
4. Dr. Nkechi Asogwa-Holds a master's degree in Theology and has special interest in bioethics. A recent graduate of the international school of fund raising. She currently works as a general practitioner at Derry clinics, Surulere Lagos. ADDRESS: 4 Remi Oyefiade close,Oke Nraira Ajah.
5. Barr.Greg Okafor (ESQ) Principal Solicitor, Nnebem Okafor & CO Legal Practitioners. ADDRESS: 4 Remi Oyefiade close,Oke Nraira Ajah. OUR FUNDER/PARTNERS:
•SCHARP PROJECT: Action Health International with Sponsorship from U.S Agency for International (USAID)(2010)
•ICT Youth Empowerment Scholarship Program (2011) with sponsorship from Acumen Global Concept LTD
•Reproductive Health Education for in-school youth (2012) With Sponsorship from Hope Woldwide Nigeria.
•Reproductive Health Education for out- of- school youth with sponsorship from Holy Family Catholic church.
•Strengthening Integrated delivery of HIV/ AIDS Services (SIDHAS project) 2014 -2016: Partnership with Family Health International( FHI360) With sponsorship from U.S. Agency for international Development (USAID)
•Ambassador’s PEPFAR Small Grants Program 2014: Sponsorship from US Agency for International Development( USAID)
• Local Partners for Orphans and Vulnerable Children{LOPIN Project}2015-2019: Partnership with Association of Reproductive and Family Health{ARFH) Sponsorship from USAID
BLYSON KEY ERVICES/ACTIVITIES
(1) COMMUNITY HCT
-Advocacy to community stakeholders and leaders
-Community mobilization and sensitization on HCT
-Community support on HCT and other intervention program.
-To increase access to HCT among MARPs and other hard-to-reach population.
2) SEXUAL PREVENTION
This involves three key ingredients:
Behavioral Interventions aim to change/reduce the risk of the individual by addressing the way an individual acts or conducts himself sexually towards self or others. Bio-medical Interventions interfere with the normal structure or function of the body in a way that it reduces the risk of new HIV infection. Structural Interventions address the relevant broader context in which the individual exists in such a way that it provides the requisite enabling context for the individual to sustainably and effectively reduce his or her risk of new infection. (3) COMMUNITY CARE AND SUPPORT
community dialogue on stigma& discrimination and gender base violence reduction
community based client tracking in collaboration with support group, community Pharmacists and health facility Conduct monthly
home visit / psychosocial support to PLHIV
(4) COMMUNITY VULNERABLE CHILDREN CARE:
-Advocacy visit to community stakeholders on OVC enrollment and services
-Relevant community Stakeholders get involved, take ownership, participate and support OVC enrollment and services in their communities. Advocacy visit to education stakeholders
-Educational Stakeholders get involved, take ownership, participate and support OVC enrollment and services in their communities. Identification and enrollment of OVC. Partnership with multinational companies and philanthropists
-Service Delivery- Food bank, scholarships, caregiver empowerment,Back to school kits, Mentoring, Rehabilitation of sexually and the domestically abused, legal protection etc. (5) COMMUNITY PMTCT
PMTCT efforts include four prongs:
Primary prevention of HIV among parents-to-be (e.g., through BCC)
Prevention of unintended pregnancies among HIV-positive women (e.g., through family planning)
Prevention of transmission from HIV-positive women to their infants (e.g., through provision of ART)
Follow-up for and linkages to long-term prevention, care, and support services for mothers, their children, and their families (PMTCT-Plus)
Monitoring and evaluation of PMTCT programs will:
Help to determine whether existing health services are adequately prepared for the introduction of PMTCT interventions
Identify areas for improvement in antenatal care and maternal and child health (MCH) services and ways to integrate PMTCT services to ensure that PMTCT interventions are safe and effective when introduced
Identify weaknesses in the PMTCT management information system (MIS) and tracking system (e.g., poor client follow-up)
Offer guidance on ways to provide and maintain high-quality services
Support program implementation by providing ways to use lessons learned to improve health activities and promote better planning
