My experience of the ECOWAS adolescent meeting
The West African Health Meeting which was organized to discuss challenges affecting adolescents was held in Abuja, Nigeria. The meeting took place from the 13th to 15th of May 2024.
I was fortunate enough to be present as a representative for Ghanaian adolescents. The conference turned out to be more than what I had anticipated for. The experience in one word was an eye opener.
Before the meeting took place, I presumed it would involve a lot of discussions on the problems of adolescents. I was half right and half wrong. Not only did the meeting address the problems of adolescents but also brought forward solutions to these problems. Months of research was presented in the form of slides to help bring more information. The meeting brought out a lot of positive response. Some included having more personnel on the ground, creating centers for adolescents at hospitals and so on.
During the first day, the floor was open for we, adolescents to share our opinions. I am not going to lie, at that moment I felt a wave of panic sweep all over me. However when I mounted the podium, my words flowed with ease. I was able to talk about some the challenges I was faced as an adolescents. I gave some solutions to these problems like creating websites for adolescents to address their concern. I fumbled a bit though but I managed to finish smoothly. I was stunned to see that my simple presentation had gathered some applause. That became a real confidence booster for me.
The meeting was not only a formal affair. I got the chance to experience the Nigerian culture, customs and of course their food. After enjoying Ghanaian jollof all these years, I also had the opportunity to taste Nigerian jollof. Again, the meeting exposed me to people of different nations such as Niger, Burkina Faso and so on. Whats-more I made friends with some interesting characters at the meeting.
The experience was just unforgettable. The meeting produced such a positive response that I know all solutions discussed will be implemented. It was an experience I hope will find me again.
