SUPPORT HEALTH NEEDS OF 1000 ADOLESCENTS IN UGANDA

Introduction:

This quarter we focused on empowering adolescents through leadership, health, and livelihood training. The primary activities included training 10 peer adolescent leaders to lead adolescent groups, training community health workers (CHWs) on adolescent supervision and mentorship, and introducing briquette-making as a sustainable income-generating activity for the adolescents.

Activities Conducted:

Peer Adolescent Leaders

Recruitment and Training: Ten promising adolescents were selected to undergo a rigorous training program on adolescent health issues, leadership skills, and group facilitation techniques. The training covered topics such as sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, mental health, and substance abuse.

Group Leadership: The trained peer leaders formed adolescent groups in their respective communities and began conducting regular sessions. These sessions provided a safe and supportive space for adolescents to discuss their health concerns, learn about their rights, and access relevant information and services.

Community Health Workers

Training: Community health workers received comprehensive training on adolescent health supervision and mentorship. The training focused on identifying and addressing the specific health needs of adolescents, providing guidance and support, and linking them to essential services.

Mentorship: The trained community health workers established mentorship relationships with adolescents in their communities. They offered guidance on various aspects of adolescent health, including sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, mental health, and career development.

Strategies for mentoring adolescents and providing guidance

• Supervision skills to ensure proper functioning of the adolescent groups
• Approaches to adolescent-friendly services
• Referral pathways for cases needing specialized medical attention

CHWs are now acting as key links between the adolescents and health facilities, ensuring that adolescents' health needs are met, and that the peer-led groups operate smoothly. The CHWs are also conducting home visits and follow-ups to assess the adolescents' health and provide further support.

Briquette Making

To promote sustainable livelihood and environmental conservation, 10 adolescents, including the peer leaders, were trained in briquette making. This 1-day workshop covered: Briquette production from locally available materials (charcoal dust, agricultural waste, etc.), Sustainable energy practices and marketing and selling of briquettes as a source of income

A training program on briquette making was conducted for a group of adolescents and community members. The training covered the process of making briquettes from agricultural waste, the benefits of using clean cooking stoves, and the potential for income generation through briquette production.

Briquette Production: The participants established small-scale briquette production units in their communities. These units provided opportunities for adolescents to learn valuable skills, earn income, and contribute to environmental sustainability

Achievements:

Peer Leadership: All 10 peer adolescent leaders successfully completed the training and are now running their respective adolescent groups. The groups meet bi-weekly, addressing topics ranging from sexual and reproductive health to mental health and life skills.

Enhanced Health Supervision: CHWs have reported improved relationships with adolescents and an increase in healthcare-seeking behavior among youth, particularly for sexual and reproductive health services. There is now a reliable supervision structure in place to ensure the peer leaders receive ongoing mentorship.

Income Generation through Briquettes: Briquette-making has proven to be an effective livelihood initiative, with 80% of the trained adolescents already producing and selling briquettes. Some groups have started saving money collectively, with plans to expand production and access larger markets in the future.

Lessons Learned:

Leadership Training Empowers Adolescents: Equipping peer leaders with leadership and health promotion skills has empowered them to take active roles in promoting health and well-being in their communities.

Community Support is Critical: Community involvement, particularly through CHWs, has been instrumental in ensuring adolescents feel supported and mentored, creating a safer space for open discussions and healthcare engagement.

Sustainability through Livelihood Projects: Integrating livelihood projects like briquette making not only equips adolescents with practical skills but also helps them financially sustain their health needs, reducing dependence on external support.

Conclusion:

This quarter’s activities have laid a strong foundation for adolescent peer leadership, health promotion, and sustainable livelihoods. Moving forward, the project will continue to support adolescent leaders and CHWs through regular mentorship, monitoring, and additional training to ensure the health needs of adolescents are met.