Welcome to the August 2026 edition of the AJANews Newsletter. In this issue we highlight three areas; integral development, building resilience for women and girls; and institutional strengthening.  For integral youth development, we walk you through our AJAN HIV and AIDS Prevention Programme for the Youth (AHAPPY) contributing to transformation of the community.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a five-day AHAPPY Training of Trainers brought together 15 participants, including 10 second-year Jesuit novices and novices from the Calasanzian congregation, at the Noviciat Notre-Dame de la Compagnie de Jésus in Kinkeso/Inkisi, Kisantu. In Kenya, 35 young leaders from the Catholic Diocese of Embu, Kenyacompleted a five-day training aimed at strengthening them as model leaders for the Church and community, equipping them to guide their peers towards responsible life choices, HIV and AIDS and sexual health awareness, and vibrant leadership. In collaboration with the Catholic Prisons Chaplaincy, AJAN also hosted a five-day AHAPPY Training of Trainers for 15 prison catechists and chaplains from the Western Region Command from 25–29 August, focusing on a pastoral approach to holistic human development within correctional facilities.

Beyond the integral formation, AJAN champions for economic resilience for the young people through entrepreneurship. This is a pathway that accords the youth, practical expertise to building sustainable futures. This focus on practical capability was also highlighted around World Youth Skills Day, observed under the theme “Skills for a Shared Future.” The occasion underscored the transformative power of On August 3, 21 young entrepreneurs graduated from a three-month intensive training program at the Jesuit Urumuri Centre (JUC). For these graduates, gaining skills went beyond learning how to keep a business running, it provided the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions and approach their ventures with a fresh perspective, making their existing businesses more resilient and ready to grow

At the level of institutional strengthening, we highlight the experience of AJAN director’s visit to Centre Saint Ignace in Kingabwa-DRC. The Centre has women and girls at the core of their mission. The secretariat supports economic resilience of the women and girls through livelihood and literacy. On Wednesday, August 12, Fr. Ismael Matambura, SJ, Director of AJAN, visited to assess the progress of the 2026 Women’s Resilience Project and engage directly with its beneficiaries. In his address, Fr. Ismael encouraged the women to take full ownership of the initiative as a pathway to economic independence and personal dignity, reminding them, “This project is designed to lift you up and accompany you towards self-reliance.”

Finally we are happy to announce that AJAN is celebrating its Silver Jubilee in 2027.To mark this milestone, we are inviting the young people into a competition of creating the jubilee Logo and Slogan. Find more information attached below inviting the next generation to lend their creativity to the celebration and help shape AJAN’s next chapter.

Across all our efforts, our core message remains simple: AJAN’s work goes far beyond distributing resources or sharing information. It is about walking with people, nurturing their innate potential, building resilience, and fostering hope so that communities can lead their own transformation.

By, Mr. Dennis Owuoche

AJAN Communications Officer.