Strengthen Sexual and Reproductive Health for Youth in Uganda

HEALTH IS A RIGHT FOR ALL CHILDHOOD IN MUKONO
Community Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention
HIV is still endemic in Uganda. In Mukono District, the HIV prevalence rate is 7.3%, with HIV rates as high as 22% in areas around Lake Victoria including Koome Islands, Mukono town and Seeta town. However, due to a lack of education around the subject, many people in Mukono are still unaware of their HIV status. EACO in partnership with local health centers and other service organizations offers Integrated HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing outreaches in isolated villages. Additionally, we support a variety of other activities to prevent the spread of HIV and to help those who have tested positive to live meaningful and fulfilling lives through our referral network.
Introduction: It is unfortunate that the government of Uganda does not appreciate sex education and little it is doing to streamline it in the education curriculum. Sexual health is a central determinant of a person’s quality of life. It is important for people to understand sexual health issues and this is paramount to helping people make informed, responsible and healthy decisions. EACO wants to promote knowledge of sexual and reproductive health services to vulnerable and marginalized groups including young people, in order to help prevent unwanted pregnancies and the spread of HIV and other STIs as well as empower youth to make informed decisions about family planning.
The organization also wants to carry out sensitization in communities and schools through formation of clubs to provide information on sexual and reproductive health issues, family planning, control of STIs, information on safe abortions and post abortion care, condom distribution to youth among others. The organization will be using a peer educators’ network to make referrals for youth to service centers for further SRH information and services, care, counseling and treatment.
If Empower and Care Organization (EACO) partners with others we can implement the above mentioned project with emphasis on Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) for young people in Mukono and part of Buikwe Districts.
The overall objective is to increase access to and utilization of friendly SRH information and services for improved quality of life and development among young people. Apart from the above activity, the overall objective will be achieved through other activities. It’s anticipated that, among other things, the project will result into reduced teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS.
Paying attention to the SRH needs of young people who form more than half of the country’s population, may not only bend the HIV/AIDS curve but will tremendously reduce on the population growth burden , alleviate the burden of infant and maternal morbidity and mortality rates, improve the status of women and girls, reduce school drop outs and reduce poverty.
Background to the project:
The importance of investing in health and young people’s SRH in particular has been under estimated at national and district levels in Uganda. Young people face various barriers in accessing information and services, SRH inclusive. For young people in rural, poor and urban slum communities face unique challenges such that access and utilization of even the few available services becomes difficult. The challenges range from the distance to the health facilities to the costly services and unfriendly service providers among other things.
As a result young people carry the biggest burden of disease and have the poorest SRH and HIV indicators. . Adolescent pregnancy is on the high side leading to unsafe abortion and maternal death. The World Health Organization reports indicate that Uganda’s maternal mortality rate stand at 435 per 100,000 live births and that teenage pregnancies contribute more than half of the mothers who die while giving life.
Despite the government’s numerous policies and programs geared towards improving SRH and rights of young people, much remains on paper. That’s why there are limited youth friendly services in government health care facilities. Mukono district has a sizeable amount of investment in the health sector (13%) but does not have specific reproductive health activities in the work plan. This implies that SRH issues for young people are either not addressed at all or are lost among other competing priorities.
The Project is to be undertaken against this background to advocate for increased prioritization and investment towards SRH of young men and women. The action will also contribute to the Health Action projects of increasing commitments at local government levels for SRH as well as accelerating achievement of MDGs 3, 5 and 6.

Project activities: This project shall be implemented in Mukono at district level and 5 selected sub counties.
MAP ILLUSTRATING THE 5 SUBCOUNTIES OF MUKONO


Mukono Central Division
1. Namubiru Village
2. Kirangira Village
3. Kitete Village
4. Bukasa Village
5. Nsaambwe Village
Goma Subcounty
1. Misindye Village
2. Ssonde Village
3. Kwanza Village
4. Bukeerere Village
Nama Subcounty
1. Lutengo Village
2. Buyukwi Village
3. Kisowera Village
4. Mpoma Village
5. Bulijjo Village
Kyampisi Subcounty
1. Namanganga Village,
2. Lugali Village
3. Namasumbi Village
4. Kyabakadde Village
5. Kasaayi Village
6. Nyanja Village

Nakisunga Subcounty
1. Nakoosi Village
2. Namuyenje Village
3. Seeta Nazigo Village
4. Naluvule Village
5. Kojja Village

EACO wants also to strengthen Sexual and Reproductive Health for youth through:
1. Capacity Building and Training
o To train service providers for Adolescent Friendly SRH Services provision
o To train peer educators on communication and counseling skills
2. Institutional Framework
o To set up adolescent Reproductive Health Clubs for mobilization both in and out of school adolescents for life skills and other positive reproductive health behaviours.
3. Information Education and Communication
o To develop and distribute relevant IEC materials to all RH services delivery points
4. Adolescent SRH Service Delivery
o To establish Adolescent Friendly SRH services at all delivery points
o To initiate community based recreation activities for adolescents
o To explore avenues of setting up income generating activities for adolescents
5. Monitoring and Evaluation
o To initiate a process of involving adolescents in planning for their health
o To establish at regular basis the indicators for adolescent health as provided for in the SRH Minimum Package
Other activities:
The following are specific advocacy activities that will be implemented.
1. Orientation/sensitization meetings for district and sub-county leaders.
2. Conduct dialogues at district and sub county levels with District leadership, sub county leadership, Health service providers, youth and opinion leaders/members in selected communities.
3. Organize/conduct music dance and drama exhibition with community youth groups to identify and voice SRH concerns of young people from their own perspective.
4. Develop and disseminate advocacy messages (IEC materials, radio spots, radio programmes and talk shows on SRH on radio and print materials
Areas of partnership with EACO in Uganda.
- First we request for capacity development of EACO’s staffs, volunteers and peer educators in the area of provision of Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services to youth.
- We propose that someone works with EACO to establish Sexual and Reproductive Health Information points/desks in schools in Mukono/Buikwe District to offer youth friendly SRH information, services and referrals on a daily basis. This will help youths to appreciate the SRHS available and always make informed decisions regarding their sexuality.
We request someone to incorporate EACO as a field partner in order for EACO to implement such activities in Mukono District.

The need to build educational capacity and create new livelihoods is critical for the peaceful development of any developing country such as Uganda. I hope that our approach inspires your trust to share that vision, and to invest in the future of the young people of Uganda with a time towards this project.

The challenge at this stage is to seize the opportunity, to take the risk, to realize a rewarding and productive future. With the strength which has made EACO, the choice is an easy one -- help our community meet the challenges critical to save lives, promote sustainable development, and achieve humanitarian goals.

Please do not hesitate to contact me.