Adolescents and young people in Kirundo are enjoying better health.
Through the 7% Set Aside HPV Plus initiative, UNICEF is working to provide sexual and reproductive health care appropriate for adolescents and young people.
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About 20 kilometers from the capital of Kirundo is the Murore health center. All the caregivers at this health center have been trained to provide services adapted to adolescents and young people, as well as to support them. Sister Marie-Rose is one of them. “I am a nurse, and I am in charge of the sexual and reproductive health program for young people,” she says.
This health center regularly receives visits from young girls. A service specifically reserved for consultations with young people has been set up. For Emelyne, 17, it was her first visit. After her consultation, she said: “I had severe stomach pain because of my period. A friend recommended that I see a healthcare provider at a health facility.” But once she got there, she didn't know who to talk to. “I explained my problem to a cleaner at the entrance, and he immediately told me where to go. The nurse was very welcoming and gave me some good advice,” she added.
Since this service was established, the Murore health center has been receiving between 10 and 15 adolescents and young people per week. “Among the 25 adolescents and young women we have been monitoring for unwanted pregnancies since January 2025, 12 are still pregnant and 13 have already given birth without complications and are taking good care of their babies,” Sister Marie-Rose specifies.
At the Vumbi communal hospital (formerly the Nyabikenke health center), the same service has been set up. “When there is no school, we meet here at least once a month to talk about our sexual and reproductive health. We ask questions, discuss them among ourselves, and the supervisors listen to us to help us behave better,” said Claudia. She is part of a group of four boys and three girls who were discussing the issues with the help of a nurse.
At Butsimba Primary School, the health club provides an opportunity for adolescents and young people to discuss various topics related to their health. Jean Marie, a teacher in charge of the health club at this institution, regularly facilitates exchange sessions. "After our discussions with the children from the health club, we return to the classroom to review together what we have learned about the health of adolescents and young people," he explains.
A young girl who regularly participates in these sessions shares her experience. “Before, I was too shy to bring up certain topics related to sexuality. Now, I can talk about them with my parents and siblings without embarrassment,” she admits, notably happy to be part of the school's health club.
In addition, thanks to this project supported by UNICEF's 7% Set Aside HPV Plus program, three community radio stations now broadcast interactive programs where young girls and boys can freely express themselves about their health. This is a great opportunity for teenage girls and young women to break the taboo of talking about sexuality, even through the broadcast media.
