Heal The Youth Foundation (HTYF), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) operating in Nigeria since November 23, 2003, has made progress in responding to the needs of vulnerable children, youths, and women to actualize their life’s potential. However, this progress is marginal when faced with the reality of over-reliance on only one source of revenue, with total dependence on donor funding. Originally adopted by the HTFY Board of Trustees on April 26, 2019, the Strategic Plan of Action (SPA) – 2019 – 2023; Sustainable Organization for Positive Impact was modified in April 2020 to maintain its relevance following the disruption of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Driven by the teamwork principle, HTYF launched the plan, which forecasted a diverse income of ₦2,546,147,140.85 (Priority Area 1: Achieve High Capital Leverage structure) and reinforced its commitment to empowering lives positively across three (3) other Priority Areas – Secure Private Public Partnerships (Priority Area 2); Improve organizational systems and performance management (Priority Area 3); and Improve the health resilience, nutrition, and protection of vulnerable groups in Nigeria (Priority Area 4).
The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Research, and Learning (MERAL) Department was mandated to conduct a 5-year (2019 – 2023) Organizational Strategic Performance Report (OSPR) of HTYF operations to assess the organization’s strategic goal: “A sustainable organization that creates positive impact in Nigeria” with accompanying objectives. These Strategic Objectives (SO) include:
A. SO1: Strengthen the resource mobilization mechanisms through a functional Resource Mobilization Department that will enhance and boost the financial capacity of HTYF by 2023.
B. SO2: Improve the referral system that ensures access to quality care and service delivery for vulnerable groups among non-state actors at the National and sub-national levels by December 2023.
C. SO3: Strengthen and institutionalize the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, research, and learning system of HTYF by 2023.
D. SO4: Increase household resilience, income, and vocational skills of target beneficiaries by 2023.
E. SO5: Strengthen the capacity of staff for effective and efficient service delivery by 2023.
This OSPR, a.k.a Impact Report (2019-2023), draws on the findings of the 2019 – 2023 SPA Performance Tracker based on the Four (4) major outcome indicators that align with the Priority Areas. This Performance Report is the final evaluation report of the five-year plan that establishes efforts and investment made by Key Stakeholders to make long-term IMPACT without total dependence on support from initial funding sources while demonstrating irrelevance to target communities by making them more sustainable, resilient, and healthy beyond the period under review.
As the Heal The Youth Foundation (HTYF) concludes its Strategic Plan of Action (SPA) for 2019 – 2023, there arises a need to assess the accomplishments of the SPA during this period and utilize these insights to chart a course for 2024 – 2028. This phase has been marked by substantial growth, challenges, and achievements, coinciding with the organization’s 20th Anniversary since its establishment. Crafting the HTYF Impact Report for this period proved challenging due to the necessity of effectively capturing and conveying the diverse impact of the organization’s programs across various areas such as health, economic empowerment, institutional development, and support for vulnerable populations. Collating data from various sources, anecdotal evidence, and stakeholder feedback was necessary to construct a comprehensive narrative reflecting achievements, encountered challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for the future. Ensuring alignment with donor priorities, organizational goals, and industry standards added another layer of complexity, crucial for demonstrating accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in advancing the mission of improving the quality of life for communities, including women, children, youth, and men.
The review of the 2019 – 2023 period highlighted several significant factors influencing HTYF’s operations, notably its heavy reliance on donor funding, which is deemed unsustainable. Nationally, analyses of various reports underscored Nigeria’s concerning health indicators, including high maternal mortality rates and infant and child mortality rates. HIV/AIDS prevalence remains a challenge, with a considerable number of people living with HIV, particularly affecting vulnerable groups. Disparities persist in health status and access to qualified health personnel across regions, urban-rural divides, education levels, and socioeconomic statuses. Access to quality health and social services, especially for vulnerable groups, remains limited, and efforts to prevent and respond to abuse and violence against children and women lack coordination. Additionally, women and youth face barriers in accessing financial services and lack adequate managerial skills for successful resource investment, contributing to financial exclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic further tested HTYF’s ability to sustainably support beneficiaries, prompting the organization to reassess its strategies and identity.