Sexual Health Outreach to 1000 youth in Uganda

STF-NYC/GLOBEMED PROJECT REPORT

APRIL – JULY 2013                 

26/7/2013

INTRODUCTION

 Straight Talk Foundation-Nwoya Youth Center is in partnership with GlobeMed at UCLA to implement sexual Health outreach project targeting youths in Anaka and purongo, Nwoya District in Northern Uganda. This year we are targeting to reach out to 5000 young youth in Anaka, Nwoya District.

Project goal: To make an impact on the lives of 5000 young youths in Nwoya District by allowing general youth as well as the special groups access to sexual health education services and supplies.

Specific Objectives:

v  To increase adoption of safer sex practices among adolescents through abstinence, corrective condom use, reduced partners and faithfulness.

v  To increase young people utilization of HIV prevention and other ASRH services at Straight Talk Foundation - Nwoya Youth Center in one year.

v  To increase female student enrollment, retention, and completion of at least Primary 7.

v  To empower the young mothers have a sustainable livelihood that would help them meet their basic needs.

v To increase access to ASRH information and services among the youths  in Nwoya district

Key project Activities

• Sexual reproductive health outreaches to schools.
• Sanitary pads support to young girls.
• Training of senior women teachers.
• Goats Monitoring.  
• Supporting the youth centre with

Project achievements

For the last four months starting April-July 2013, STF-NYC managed to reach out to a total of 1759 youths (Male =979, Female = 780).

SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS

S/N

ACTIVITIES

PLANNED TARGET

ACTUAL ACHIEVEMENT

COMMENT

1

Sexual reproductive health outreaches to schools.

2,020(male 1000 and female 1,020)

1,759 (979male, female 780)

The small difference in the target would be met by the end of July.

2

Sanitary pads support to young girls.

200 young girls

200 girls supported

200 girls given 2 sets of comprehensive Reusable pads containing 10 pieces of pads. These was given along with 1 packet of omo detergent,1bar of washing soap to the girls and 3 basins and 3 Jeri cans for each of the 7 school to keep hygiene of the girls.

3

Training of senior women teachers.

20 teachers

19 senior women teachers attended

These senior women teachers were trained on the use of reusable pads, hygiene, STI’s, and SRH.

4

Goats Monitoring.

20 young mothers

20 young mothers monitored

Out of the 20 young mothers given goats only 17 of them are taking good care of their goats. An average of 3 goats per each young mother.

• Sexual reproductive health outreaches to schools: Nwoya youth center conducted a total of 09school outreach sensitization and 05community outreach sensitization on sexual reproductive health in Anaka and Purongo Sub-counties- Nwoya District. 

These outreaches helps the youth to discuss and get information about sexual reproductive health, life skills and sexuality issues that affects their life so that they are able to make informed decision  regarding their health by adopting to safer sex practices and utilization of reproductive health services for a healthy generation of youths. At least 50% of the youths know most of the basics concerning sexual reproductive health.

This can be seen by the increase in the utilization of condoms (i.e. 1,200 pieces of condoms distributed), IEC materials distributed was 5,500 copies), Number of youth attended HIV counseling and testing this quarter was 3,120, increase in the number of youth accessing safe male circumcision and youths accessing STI’s treatment at the various health centers in Nwoya.

 The center reached a total of 1759 adolescents with sexual reproductive health messages (979male 780 females).

Quotes: “Sex education in primary schools is lacking and STF-NYC has come timely at the time when this generation needs a lot of Adolescent sexual reproductive health information and services due to many complicated sexually transmitted infections. With the health messages being given I am managing my body changes wisely and realized that body changes are normal and healthy” one of the pupil at Anaka Public P/s stressed. 

        (Pupils of Gok primary and Anaka P7 schools attending SRH dialogue).                                

• Sanitary pads support to young girls: this time the project looked at the sustainability of the intervention and decided to support the girls with reusable sanitary pads which can be used for 1 year. The sanitary pads support is intended to promote girl child education through retention and regular school attendance by young girls. The beneficiaries of these pads now have no reason to abscond or drop out of school since they have regular supply of these pads throughout the year; this has increase the girl’s concentration on studies. The schools and parents of these girls are very thankful to Globemed and Nwoya youth center for this initiative and they are ready to support this initiative as they have seen great improvement in terms of performance and concentration among the girls.

A total of 200 young girls from seven different schools are benefiting from the supply of these reusable sanitary pads while the rest of the school community are benefiting from the sexual reproductive health sensitization and are informed on making good use of the local materials to make local pads and be informed on issues concerning their body changes and health.

The beneficiary schools for the pads include; Kulamuka Primary school, Anaka Primary school, Alokolum Gok primary school, Patira primary school, Purongo primary school, Oruka primary school and Gotapwoyo primary school.

(Pupils of Oruka and Anaka school receiving package of reusable pads after training)

Quote: “I feel at ease using reusable pads because it’s simple to use and i need not to buy pads every month since I have one that i can use for two years without spending money to buy another one. I can come to school with confidence and attend lessons without any interference unlike those days when I would be unsure where to get pads which can help me during my menstruation.” One Acan Milly of P6 and 15 years a pupil of Anaka primary school lamented.

• Training of senior women teachers on Reusable pads and sexual reproductive health. This training was intended to introduce reusable pads to the senior women teachers and the pupils especially on the use, hygiene and SRH issues relating to girls. 19 senior women teachers trained out of 20 and 200 girls where later on trained by the senior women teachers together with the Nwoya youth centre staffs. 

( Participants attending training on reusable sanitary pads and sexual reproductive health)

• Goats monitoring: The goats’ project is benefiting 20 young mothers and each young mother received 2 goats (male and female). All these goats are healthy and doing well according to the monitoring report. Most beneficiaries now have 3 goats each on average.

The project decided that these goats would now remain for the young mothers as opposed to the previous idea of each beneficiary giving back two goats which will be given to the other lot of young mothers as a sustainability plan.

Quote: “I am strong and self reliant mother since it’s easier for me to get loan and do business. I joined village savings and loan scheme because of the goats given where I save on average 5000 UGX every week to supplement my livelihood. Thanks to Nwoya youth centre for bringing me back to life and………………..”  One Evelyn young mother quoted.

• Youth friendly activities: The youth centre conduct games and sports, counseling, IEC material distribution and health talk to the youths coming to seek for services, with the improvement on the youth center games and sports facilities, most youth have liked the place since it provide education and information on many health related problem, counseling and life skills.

Onen richard 17 years ,P7 says, “I like coming to the youth centre since it has all what I need to grow healthy. I can play , receive counseling and can read magazine on SRH. So I advice my friends to always make use of the youth centre.”

(In- school youth playing indoor games at the youth center)

• The picture below shows Nwoya youth staffs possed in their riding gears bought with support from  Globemed. Beatrice one of the NYC staffs says “ I can now ride without any fear whether on rain because I am well protected. Thanks for Globemed.”

THE LIST OF THE 09SCHOOLS REACHED WITH STF/NYC-GLOBEMED PROJECT IN ANAKA AND PURONGO SUB-COUNTIES THIS QUARTER.

S/N

Name of school in Purongo

Parish

1

Purongo Primary school

Pawatomero

2

Oruka Primary school

Paromo

3

Got Apwoyo Primary school

Latoro

S/N

Name of school in Anaka

Parish

1

Anaka Primary school

Anaka T/C

2

Pope paul V, SS Anaka

Anaka T/C

3

Kulu amuka Primary school

Kuluamuka

4

Alokulum Gok Primary school

Pabali

5

Patira Primary school

Ywaya

6

Anaka Public Primary School

Anaka Town Council

Challenges

• Transport facility to help implement project work is a problem. The center relies on one motorbike to do project work and the second motorbike is weak and disturbs a lot.
• Inadequate office space to implement project work effectively.
• The centre would take time to coupe up with the end of partnership since through this support; the centre was doing a lot to reach out to the youths.

Recommendations

• If possible GlobeMed would continue with sanitary pad support to the girls under this project since this is the only project which STF may not do a lot as compared to other activities.
• Needs to revise the project documents and begin lobbying for funding from other sources to help the desperate beneficiaries.

Report compiled by:  Alfred Olweny

                                  Center coordinator Nwoya Youth Center

                                  0774848448 / 0716848448

Email: Alfred.olweny@yahoo.com or olwenyalfred@gmail.com

“MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL”