In celebration of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025, the 4 Youth by Youth (4YBY) program hosted its seventh annual World AIDS Day event, marking a significant milestone in the fight against the HIV epidemic. Under the theme Persistence, this year’s open call, titled Persistence 4 Health, highlighted the resilience required to provide and sustain youth-friendly health services in a challenging public health climate.

Launched as a social media open call running from October 17 to November 17, 2025, the open call asked participants, “How might we persist in providing youth-friendly HIV self-testing (HIVST) and prevention services?” The open call resonated at a time when health professionals, community-based organizations, and youth ambassadors continue to navigate hurdles and shifting priorities. 4YBY received 137 submissions from youth across the country, each offering innovative strategies to persist in providing youth-friendly HIV self-testing (HIVST) and prevention services.

On December 1, 2025, 10 selected youth finalists presented their innovative ideas virtually. The event brought together public health professionals, researchers, and peers to stand in solidarity against the HIV epidemic in Nigeria. The presentations showcased many young innovators focused on modern tools, including digital apps and artificial intelligence to provide support and HIVST guidance, integrating health education and literacy programs directly into National Youth Service Corps camps and schools, and automating administrative burdens for health workers to allow greater focus on care. These ideas, along with many other creative approaches, were presented.

The top three winners were selected at the event and received cash awards for their ideas. These winners will continue working with 4YBY to further disseminate their ideas. All youth who submitted ideas gained valuable exposure to a network of health professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and peers dedicated to advancing the HIV response among young people.

Among the entries was a reflection from first-place winner, Joy Oche, whose idea focused on normalizing youth-friendly HIV language by adapting messaging through media platforms that young people already engage with, helping to make HIV prevention conversations more relatable and less stigmatizing. Joy shared her perspective on youth-led health innovation, “Health innovation is not just about technology, it’s about people. If you want to innovate, begin by listening. Listen to people, to strangers, to children, to those who are often unheard. Then dare to dream of solutions that make their lives easier, safer, and healthier. Don’t wait to feel ‘ready’ - start where you are, learn as you go, and build boldly. The future of healthcare belongs to those who can combine compassion with creativity.”

Second-place winner, Williams Ekpenyong, proposed a WhatsApp-based HIV self-testing and peer support system to provide discreet access to information and testing support. Williams shared his idea of persistence, “Persistence is the steady strength to keep moving forward, even when the path becomes uncertain. It is the courage to rise after setbacks and the conviction that progress is still possible even in difficult seasons. It is about commitment, resilience, and the willingness to stay true to your vision even when the results are not immediate.”

Third-place winner,  Flourish Lucky, suggested establishing youth-led health hubs in high-traffic community areas to expand access to HIV prevention services and create safe spaces for engagement, emphasizing the importance of youth leadership in health initiatives. “I participated because I believe that young people should not just be beneficiaries of health initiatives but leaders in creating them. The Persistence 4 Health Contest provided the perfect platform to showcase how youth-driven solutions, like our 'Persistence Circles,' can bridge the gap in HIV prevention and create sustainable health outcomes for our generation.”

The 4YBY program continues to highlight the role of young people in shaping the future of HIV prevention. Dr. Juliet Iwelunmor, the 4YBY lead Principal Investigator, noted, “ I think it’s so remarkable to bring young people together to ask crucial questions like we do on how we might get to the end of HIV. We are nothing without young people and every open call we continue to host, this being our 7th open call, is a reminder as to why their voices, their experiences, their ideas, need to be elevated always.”  Looking ahead, 4YBY remains dedicated to supporting young leaders as they shape healthier, stronger communities through their ideas, and persistence.

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