Putting young people’s health and well-being back in their hands
Young Africa Live
Young Africa Live (YAL), branded B-Wise in South Africa, is a pioneering initiative that empowers young people (aged 15 - 24) with valuable information on sexual and reproductive health information, while also providing actionable insights to the healthcare system. The smart bot platform delivers personalised information on sexual, mental, and physical health. Users can engage with the platform through WhatsApp, where they can privately interact with a smart bot, browse and search content, and receive personalised push messages to encourage their persistence in maintaining, adopting and improving healthy behaviours. Users can also use a safe forum on Facebook (where user interactions are guided and controlled by respectful guidelines) to discuss topics of interest with their peers openly.
B-Wise was launched on 26 October 2022 with a catalogue of sexual and reproductive health content that users could access through WhatsApp and Facebook. The program has been updated with content, quizzes, and personalised features addressing individual needs and barriers. Through segmentation, each user is categorised based on factors like gender and relationship status to cater to their specific preferences. Personalised interventions have been introduced to target key behavioural barriers related to sexual health, such as gender attitudes and mental health, to support users better. Additionally, tailoring techniques customise the content and communication style for each user, ensuring that the program meets their unique requirements effectively.
Challenge
Young people in sub-Saharan Africa encounter various health and social challenges, particularly concerning sexual and reproductive health. Often, individuals engage in sexual activities without sufficient knowledge and skills for protection, increasing their vulnerability to risks such as unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Early marriage and childbearing persist throughout the region, contributing to elevated rates of maternal mortality, morbidity, neonatal, and infant mortality among adolescents.
Young people seeking sexual and reproductive health services encounter barriers related to access and quality of care. Essential services, such as accurate information, contraception, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, are either unavailable or offered in a manner that leaves adolescents feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome. Young Africa Live addresses these challenges, ensuring that young people have access to the necessary sexual and reproductive health resources and support they require.
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Results
YAL (B-Wise) has shown promising results: over 111,000 users have been reached. Furthermore, a qualitative study on the B-Wise platform revealed significant positive impacts on users' behaviour and attitudes towards sexual health. Findings showed that a majority of users expressed an increased likelihood of using condoms consistently, getting tested for STIs regularly, and improving their attitudes towards consent.
Furthermore, almost half of the users attributed the program as the most influential factor in prompting behavioural changes. Importantly, the Smart Bot also increased users' motivation to seek healthcare services, with a majority indicating an elevated willingness to visit healthcare facilities and speak with counsellors. These results indicate the effectiveness of the Smart Bot in motivating positive changes and improving users' access to sexual health services.
Implementation partners B-wise: National Department of Health (South Africa), Elton John AIDS Foundation, Avert, META
Looking Forward
Building on its success in South Africa, Reach plans to explore opportunities to introduce YAL in other countries with a high demand for sexual and reproductive health interventions, considering each location's unique needs and contexts.
