At our PYAO, our philosophy includes the following:
a.
Equality
Youth
work
challenges
oppression
and
inequality.
Equality
is
at
the
core
of
our
work
with
youth;
it
means
understanding
that
youth
are
not
a
homogenous
group
but
rather
all
sorts
of
people
within
an
age
category
with
diverse
backgrounds
and
needs.
Promoting
equality
means
promoting
acceptance
of
the
differences in young people that spring from race, sexual identity, gender, disability, age, social behaviour, HIV status, or other characteristics
b.
Education
At
PYAO,
we
believe
that
activities,
projects,
initiatives
and
personnel
that
work
with
young
people
should
be
geared
at
enabling
the
young
people
to
gain
the
skills,
knowledge,
understanding,
attitudes
and
values
required
to
identify,
advocate
for,
and
purse
their
rights
and
responsibilities
–
both
as
individuals
and
as
members of communities, at local and national levels.
c.
Participation
Participation
is
essential
role
of
citizens
in
a
democracy-not
only
their
right
but
their
duty.
Participation
may
take
many
forms:
standing
for
election,
voting,
debating
issues,
attending
community
meetings,
being
members
of
voluntary
organizations,
paying
taxes,
or
even
protesting.
PYAO`s
work,
founded
on
this
principle,
challenges
youth
to
share
responsibilities
and
to
become
equal
partners
in
the
learning
processes
and
decision-making
structures
that
affect
their
own and other people`s lives.
d.
Empowerment
Youth
workers
should
encourage
and
enable
young
people
to
understand
their
rights
and
responsibilities
so
that
they
are
able
to
act
on
personal,
social,
economic, political, and technological issues which affect their lives and the lives of others, as responsible citizens of their communities
Catchment Area
Phalombe district (Six Traditional Authorities – Mkhumba, Kaduya, Jenala, Chiwalo, Nazombe and Nkhulambe)