
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a bid to uplift the quality of life for young people living in ghetto communities, Reach A Hand Uganda has expanded the GN Trybe programme scope to the ghetto, and held an outreach in the slums of Kosovo, Lungujja.
The outreach dubbed: GN Trybe Ghetto KONNECT, is tailored specifically to address issues affecting youth in those areas including Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues and entrepreneurship.
The first outreach held on 29 August, comprised several lifechanging initiatives including distribution of condoms, HIV testing, entrepreneurial mentorship, all aimed at promoting safe sexual reproductive health and rights among young people; increasing access to essential health service and livelihood information to young people in the ghetto.
Reach A Hand Uganda, Chief Executive Officer, Humphey Nabimanya emphasised that the outreaches will continue across other ghetto communities. “We are happy to have incorporated young people in our GN Trybe programme because of their vulnerability”.
Generation Now Trybe (GN Trybe) is a youth-centred behavioural change communication initiative designed to respond to the evolving challenges young people face today. The initiative uses bold and innovative strategies to raise awareness and reduce sexual and reproductive health risks that often limit young people’s right to quality education, mental well-being, and a healthy, empowered life.
Recent Ministry of Health (MoH) and UNAIDS data indicates a significant burden of HIV among youth, with new infections concentrated in the 15-24 age bracket and a disparity where infections are higher in young women than in young men. The overall national adult HIV prevalence was 5.1% in 2023, a reduction from previous years, and a major focus is placed on targeting youth with interventions to curb the epidemic.