The Editorial Brief:

Features; AHAPPY Program-  Kenya, Malawi & Madagascar; Youth-led  Activities- South Sudan; Building  Resilience for women and Girls-Burundi; Commemoration of Season of  Creation Activities-Zimbabwe

The September 2026 edition of AJANews brings together stories of formation, building resilience, accompaniment and care for our common home from across the AJAN network. As we journey through the Season of Creation, from 1 September to 4 October, we are invited to renew our commitment to caring for creation and recognizing our shared responsibility for the earth and all its people. This year’s theme, “Living Water,” reminds us that water is a source of life, renewal and hope, while drawing attention to communities that continue to face challenges in accessing safe and sufficient water.

The Biblical text guiding this year’s Season of Creation, Ezekiel 47:1–12, presents a powerful vision of life-giving water flowing from the temple of God. As the river grows deeper, it restores barren land, revives the waters and sustains flourishing ecosystems. The passage reminds us that creation is interconnected and calls us to participate actively in its renewal, ensuring that environmental healing and human well-being flourish together.

This month’s edition gives you a glimpse into our journey of sustained effort to contribute to integral development of young people through formation of young leaders, mentors and pastoral agents. From 1^st–5^th September 2026, AJAN, in collaboration with the Kenya Catholic Prisons Chaplaincy brought together 22 Catholic prisons chaplains from Nyanza Command Region for AHAPPY Training of Trainers. Through the AHAPPY approach, participants were equipped with practical skills to mentor, accompany and support young people they serve in their various correctional settings while promoting their integral human development and nurturing pathways towards hope and positive transformation.

Additionally, the edition takes you to St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish in Kasungu, Malawi. Thirty young adults participated in an intensive AHAPPY Training of Trainers programme covering life skills, leadership, self-awareness, personal responsibility, HIV prevention, creativity and innovation. Personal testimonies of participants will give you an idea of how the AHAPPY experience is shaping their understanding of themselves and their responsibility towards others.

Beyond training, we see the multiplier effect of AHAPPY program. AJAN members continue translating formation into action. In Rumbek, South Sudan at Saint Teresa Parish, youth leaders who underwent AHAPPY training earlier this year have engaged in peer-led activities that brought together 80 young people, promoting healthy and responsible lifestyles, strengthening HIV awareness and challenging stigma. Meanwhile, Centre Arrupe Madagascar, through its Programme Santé et Famille (PSF), strengthened safeguarding efforts through training for members of the Iray Aina movement on preventing violence and protecting children and vulnerable persons.

While in Zimbabwe, the Jesuit Youth Office of Southern Africa, in collaboration with Silveira House and the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA), brought together thirty -five young people not only to pray for creation but also to contribute to its renewal through the planting of trees

In Burundi, the Building Resilience among Women and Young Girls in Africa (BRWGA) Project at Service Yezu Mwiza continues to support women in transforming sewing, tailoring and creative skills into pathways towards greater economic independence, dignity and resilience.

Together, these stories reflect AJAN’s commitment to formation that leads to action, accompaniment that restores hope and service that upholds human dignity. As we continue through the Season of Creation, may we become channels of “living water”—bringing renewal, compassion and hope to our communities while caring for our common home.

By, Mr. Dennis Owuoche,

AJAN Communications Officer.