I imagine young people can be partners, leaders too with health interventions. I imagine they can come up with strategies that matter for themselves and other young people. I imagine that if we give them an opportunity, not just as beneficiaries of health programs, that they will surprise you, wow you too. We have spent the past 4 weeks with our last innovation bootcamp for now.

Young Nigerians have surprised me, wowed me too. They are prepared to decentralize PrEP, prepared to get other young people to become aware of it, use it, adhere to it, retain it, and even evaluate all of this. Implementation science is in it’s prime with youth-friendly strategies and how to truly bring end users into the design of these strategies not just as consumers of them later, but as partners and leaders.

Joe Tucker, Oliver Ezechi and I imagined all this and to see it come alive and on its own now that we approach the fifth year keeps me humble. Nothing but grace saw us through. We remain totally grateful to so many including our esteemed judges. We are so thankful to the Nigerian youth themselves. All of you stood in a blaze of courage, rising like the anthem, into the mouth of 4yby’s history.

You all reached within yourselves, within limited resources too, to find more beyond yourselves, ample resources rarely tapped into but within your reach. We are prepared to see you rise, and will do our part to watch you soar always. This is just the beginning.