The Problem:
Ace Africa have been working to empower girls, women, and the wider community on reproductive health choices across Siaya County, Kenya. In the area 27% of the population live below the poverty line and it has an HIV prevalence rate 6x higher than the national average. The county ranks 4th nationally for teenage pregnancy. The Covid pandemic, war in Ukraine and global climatic events have only exasperated this further and Siaya has witnessed an increasing number of girls drop-out of school pregnant with no qualifications or training. In Siaya young women frequently turn to other sources of income such as commercial sex work to supplement income which exposes them to the dangers of HIV, STI’s and gender-based violence.
What we did:
Through the support of Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust over the last year Ace Africa have implemented a sexual reproductive health project to reach the whole community. Activities included two local radio community health broadcasts in a talk show format (reaching over 870,000 people). Ace attended community advocacy days (Sexual Reproductive Health(SRH) Awareness Day and World Sexual Health Day) run by the Ministry of Health and engaged with members of the community. Furthermore sexual reproductive health brochures were printed and distributed across community settings to raise awareness on access to services and rights.
Within the grant Ace trained 20 community health volunteers in SRH and trauma counselling. Since training these volunteers have been educating adolescent girls and young women in their local communities, and encouraged young mothers to access government SRH support. Engaging with the wider community is fundamental to ensuring the rights of girls and women are upheld and respected. As such Ace held 12 ‘youth friendly’ SRH events which included young men to increase their involvement in maternal-child health. The events were held in convenient and safe venues such as schools and churches.
The Impact:
- 1,897 adolescent girls and young women (including those with disabilities) received SRH education and accessed family planning (oral pills, injectables and implants), as well as ultrasound services to check on their baby’s development, monitor health issues and ensure safe delivery
- 151 young pregnant women – who due to stigma – began antenatal care services
- 15 young mothers accessed relevant delivery services at their local health facility
- A key learning from the project has been that engaging males increased SRH knowledge amongst young men contributing to a change in attitude, improved communication and helping partners access family planning services. 1006 young men learnt about SRH and services, how to support women access family planning services, and were provided with condoms
Next steps:
We are now expanding this project into neighbouring areas of Siaya Ward to further increase girls and women’s access to SRH services.
