The Power To Youth learning and celebration festival was convened in Mombasa, Kenya, from the 29th September to 3rd October 2025 under the theme “Learning for Legacy: Embedding change beyond 2025.” To mark this milestone, the festival brought together partners from the seven implementing countries, namely Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia, Senegal, and Ethiopia, stakeholders and youth who have contributed to the successes of the program.
The festival was an important opportunity to share best practices and innovative approaches developed through the program at the country level and technical partner level. It was filled with moments of sharing how successes were attained through stories, visuals, and collective engagement. The gathering reaffirmed the program’s identity as a movement powered by youth voices, meaningful participation, and collaboration that continues to ripple far beyond the event itself. It reflected on the resourcefulness and impact of the programme as follows:
Celebrating achievements
This was done by highlighting the achievements of the PTY program while acknowledging the commitment of all stakeholders involved, such as the increase of young people in leadership and decision-making positions, advocacy against Female Genital Mutilation with current follow-up on the East African Legislative Assembly passing the Anti-FGM bill, amplification of more youth voices in communities, improved access to youth sexual reproductive health and rights, and the buy-in of some community and traditional structures to continue the journey of meaningful youth engagement in developmental processes.
Programme reflections
During the festival, participants reflected on the key findings from the end term evaluation and identified recommendations for sustainability and community continuity. A presentation by the global end-term evaluation consultant highlighted lessons learned and recommendations for sustaining successful models of collaboration beyond the PTY implementation period. Participants were involved in an audience engagement session, exchanging ideas on how to strengthen coordination among technical working groups, governance structures, and communications teams. Countries had the opportunity to reflect on their journeys and showcase how knowledge products can drive more effective and sustainable programming.
Major learnings came from various program components like the findings from the Central operational Research, Human-Centred Design innovations, the end-term evaluation provided evidence of country realities on different thematics. Parallel sessions on Gender Transformative Approaches and Meaningful and Inclusive Youth Participation featured a blend of storytelling, radio role play, arts, and games that kept participants fully engaged. The activities encouraged reflection on how GTA and MIYP have evolved within the PTY while inspiring participants to imagine new possibilities for inclusive and youth-led advocacy.
There was also a knowledge management session, which transformed the festival into a vibrant marketplace of ideas. Partners and countries set up booths displaying tools, visual products, videos, and creative outputs from across the programme. Participants explored each booth, engaging with innovations that demonstrated how knowledge can be shared and sustained beyond PTY.
The PTY global team also shared their thoughts on how the existence of different portfolio technical working groups were instrumental in promoting collaboration and effective planning through monthly meetings, co-creation, joint planning and delegation of task. A good practice highlighted was for these groups to continuously learn from one another and document their work to share with communities that would continue with the legacy of PTY beyond the implementation period.
PTY beyond 2025
During the paths to sustainability panel discussion convened by the global supervisory board of the programme, partners were encouraged to think beyond the programme and identify concrete next steps to maintain impact in their respective contexts. The conversation underscored the shared commitment to ensuring that the lessons and innovations from PTY continue to thrive beyond the partnership.
“The PTY global festival was a moment to honour past achievements and renew commitment toward sustaining and scaling youth-led advocacy beyond its lifecycle. While the program ends, the movement for empowered youth and transformed communities continues,” said Thandizo Mphwiyo, National Coordinator for Power To Youth in Malawi.
Some of the key areas that were identified to leverage for sustainability include empowering the existing youth advocates with resources to use their skills in continuously promoting youth meaningful engagement in different processes for social justice, and leveraging on the supportive national and cultural structures to promote and advance the PTY legacy.
Power to You(th) has shaped spaces where youth voices drive real change in gender equality and SRHR. The festival captured that spirit through stories, laughter, lessons, and moments of pride that reflected how deeply the programme has rooted itself in communities and partnerships. It reminded everyone that true impact is built on partnership, grounded in listening, learning, and growing together.
