1. By Anne Nattembo Using Social Media to Increase Access to Sexual Reproductive Health Information among Young People in Uganda

2. Background Straight Talk Foundation (STF) is a health and development communications non-governmental organization. STF uses a number of strategies to reach young people. These include: face-to-face, electronic, print and new media technologies.

3. Theory of Change

4. Aim of the Presentation: Contribution of awareness campaigns on social media to increase awareness of sexual reproductive health (SRH) knowledge and eventual willingness by youth to seek and utilize SRH services. Background Cont’d

5. Description STF manages 16 face book pages each specific to a locally spoken language within the country. The content shared is in form of videos, quizzes, photos, blog articles and Q&As. To date, STF has held meaningful conversations with over 17,280 young people annually through the 16 face book pages.

6. Lessons Learned The advent of social media has geared STF into direct online conversations with young people in real-time. Overall, STF proactively reaches out by engaging young people in thematic conversations on specific topics in sexual reproductive health.

7. Lessons Learned STF online presence has been critical in facilitating social and community participation by enabling young people to participate in sexual reproductive health conversations that affect them.

8. Lessons Learned Young people are able to appreciate online service referrals, timely access to SRH information, through communication technologies now than ever before to get real-time sexual reproductive health advice because of the confidentiality these platforms provide.

9. Next Steps To increase awareness of the available social media platforms so that more young people can be able to access thus increasing their access to sexual reproductive health services. STF is also exploring ways of increasing learning centers in all youth corners so that access to online conversations through social media is made easier for all youth.

10. THANK YOU Website: www.straighttalkfoundation.orgwww.straighttalkfoundation.org Twitter Handle: @STFUganda Email: info@straighttalkfoundation.orginfo@straighttalkfoundation.org