Youth in Acholi Quarters receive health services as they celebrate Valentine’s Day

Youth in Acholi Quarters receive health services as they celebrate Valentine’s Day.

KAMPALA, Monday 14th February 2022 – Reach A Hand, Uganda (RAHU) in partnership with CiplaQCIL today joined young people in the Acholi Quarters, a slum settlement in Kampala to celebrate Valentine’s Day with an integrated community health outreach and a #SafeLove concert.

This Valentine’s Day activation provided an opportunity to reach young people in this low-income slum with the much-needed sexual reproductive health information and services. The day’s activities focused on social behavioural change and creating HIV/AIDS awareness.

Emphasising safe sexual behaviour, the role of young men in keeping their partners safe, and the importance of knowing one’s HIV status. Speaking at the integrated community health outreach, James Tumusiime, the Country Director, RAHU, highlighted the fact that young people living in slums are often left behind when it comes to access to sexual reproductive health information and services. “Youth living in slums are at a heightened risk for poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes yet they are often left behind.

Their limited access to income also means that they may not be able to access these health services and information,” Tumusiime said. “This community health outreach and music concert has given us an opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day with young people who can’t afford lavish celebrations, while at the same time giving them access to the much-needed Sexual Reproductive Health (SRHR) information and services.”