By Zuurah Karungi                                                       

“She decides” is a project under Reproductive Health Uganda that gave reproductive health training to University students and Village Health Team Heads (VHTs), these were later tasked to pass on the skills to fellow students. As the projects comes to an end, different students share their experiences and lessons learnt.

Simon Mambo student, Students       

I love helping fellow students lead better lives. Being a peer educator, I was called to attend a She decides medical students for choice Training where we learnt about family planning methods, reproductive health and other SRHR services. We were then tasked to pass on the information to the students which we did through door to door trainings and in lecture room trainings. We have been of great help to students as we provide family planning services to students since they are shy to seek these services in hospital or clinics.

Margaret Tuhaise, VHT officer, Katumba A village kabarole District

There was a lot of poverty in my village due to uncontrolled birth (hence high population) introduction of Sayan Press under the She decides project was of great help to my people. We no longer have un wanted pregnancies, fake family planning methods and the economy is growing gradually as people give birth to children they can take care of.

Ronah Twinomugisha, Students

60 per cent of students were either pregnant or had aborted at KIU in 2017. This forced me to join She decides project to help fellow students who were dropping out of school and others dying due to failed abortions.  We go to different hostels extending the different services and knowledge to schools.

Salma Kabajungu, Katumba A village kabarole District, Beneficiary

I had given up on family planning methods for three years due to the side effects they came with. When Tuhaise Margaret my VHT told me about Sayan Press, I was hesitant but decided to try it. It was the best family planning method I have ever seen. I have not experienced any side effects with it.

Alexander Nuwarindah, Students

In the training, we were given tips on how to handle fellow youth, service delivery, condom distribution, family planning, SRHR services among other things. I was able to learn how to protect myself and was empowered to teach others. I continued working with She decides because of the services they provided were life changing.

Ninkuze Elizabeth Kijumba Adyeeri, Midwife and politician Kabarole District

I have been working with Reproductive Health Uganda for quite some time now. We have carried out different health camps, community outreaches and trainings. The She decides project has been of great use to my people as it helped us tone down the many cases of unwanted pregnancies among married couples and school going students. I am grateful for the project and I pray it continues.

Jessica Namugabi, Minister of Health, Student

Being a leader and seeing what girls engage in, I was compelled to join She decided because it gave me more expertise on how to help fellow girls with their reproductive issues. Student are in their sexually active stages therefore we need to be guided on how to protect themselves. She decides was the answer as it gave us the techniques we needed to reduce cases of pregnancy and high abortion rates.  However we still have a challenge of some students not using contraceptives saying they will make them barren.

Nathan, In Charge Reproductive Health Uganda Bushenyi Branch

We have been able to train students on the best family planning methods to use, how to use them and their effects if over used. We do this through trainings in Universities (buzzers), door to door and some visit the clinic. We also engage peer educators in She decides work to have them be our ambassadors in the University. These also give out family planning services.

Attached is a videos on the views of different students and university administrators on reproductive health in youths.