The ABC Approach for Infection Prevention and Averting Unintended Pregnancies among Youth in Institutions of Higher Learning

The project focused on behavior change communication, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and HIV/AIDS-related issues at the University of Nairobi (UON) and United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi. The project's goal was to positively influence SRH knowledge, attitudes, and practices among students and youth in institutions of higher learning in Kenya. Specifically, the intervention sought to provide students with information and skills to prevent STIs, including HIV, and unintended pregnancy through peer education training. The training focused on HIV and AIDS, transmission and prevention of other STIs, and life skills to enable students to make healthy SRH decisions. The expected outcomes included practicing primary or secondary abstinence, reducing the number of sexual partners, using condoms correctly and consistently to avoid HIV infection and unintended pregnancies, and knowing one's HIV status through Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT). The project also integrated other services, such as provision of contraceptive information and breast and cervical cancer screening. The objectives of the intervention were to strengthen peer education on SRH in UON and USIU by updating peer education materials and training 350 new peer educators; reach individuals in the two universities and their surrounding communities with HIV and unintended pregnancy prevention messages via radio, thematic events, and online social messaging; increase integration of contraception in HIV prevention, care, support, and treatment services offered to students within the two universities; build the capacity of the universities to carry out SRH interventions for students and enhance sustainability of current interventions; and strengthen monitoring and evaluation activities to generate data to inform intervention activities. Several key intervention activities were undertaken, including peer education and SRH messaging among students in the universities, integration of SRH-HIV, assisting participating institutions to carry out SRH interventions and enhance project sustainability, and project monitoring, evaluation, and research capacity. Key activities and achievements included the development of a 40-hour peer education training manual, which incorporated modules on SRH rights, male gender norms, and positive masculinity. The manual was used for all peer education training at UON and USIU. ICL also developed, pretested, and reviewed a BCC participants' manual, a BCC facilitators' guide, and a peer education training manual. The participants' manual and the facilitators' guide contained 13 sessions each covering about 45 minutes to an hour of discussion. About 250 BCC participants' manuals and 150 facilitators' manuals were printed, bound, and distributed to be utilized by BCCGs in their discussions throughout the project period. The project also involved the recruitment of two consultants to review the Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Facilitators' manual. The consultants provided valuable feedback to further improve the sessions. The revised peer education manual was used for all peer education training at UON and USIU. The project's activities were aimed at positively influencing SRH knowledge, attitudes, and practices among students and youth in institutions of higher learning in Kenya.