To improve access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) services among out-of-school young people, Samasha, in collaboration with district health teams, conducted 10 community ADH awareness campaigns—5 in Luweero (June 5–6) and 5 in Kole (July 9–11)—targeting high-burden sub-counties.
These community engagements aimed to bridge knowledge gaps and bring services directly to young people aged 10–24, especially those often left behind by facility-based health systems.
Integrated services offered included ANC and PNC, HIV testing and counselling, short and long-term family planning methods, TB and malaria screening, HPV vaccination, and health talks on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and nutrition.
A total of 1260 young people were reached in both Luweero and Kole. In both districts, 10 health facilities were facilitated to deliver services during the outreaches.
In Kole District, subcounty chiefs played a crucial role in mobilizing communities and hosting the events at subcounty headquarters, which significantly improved turnout.
“These outreaches really helped us,” shared Opio Thomas, a youth participant. “Sometimes we fear going to the health center because we think we’ll be judged, especially when it comes to things like contraception. But here, we felt safe to ask questions and get help without feeling ashamed.”
Despite the success, key challenges were observed:
- Lack of functional youth-friendly spaces at both community and facility levels.
- Stockouts of short-term contraceptives, particularly emergency pills.
- Low health-seeking behaviour, especially among teen mothers due to stigma and fear.
Samasha calls for increased investment in youth corners, reliable commodity supply, and routine outreach support to ensure inclusive, sustained access to adolescent health services.