Heading: Training of YAhealth App peer ambassadors in 10 Districts of distinguished Provinces of Rwanda
YAhealth is a bilingual (English and Kinyarwanda) and online-offline MobileApp , Web Application and Short code (*411#) for feature phones, which provide accurate and reliable user and age-centered (to age groups 10-14, 15-19 and 20-24) information on different SRHR/FP and Mental health topics, Gender-based Violence (GBV), and Youth Relationships, connects them to the available services and gives them a room to talk and interact freely with peers or ASRH and Mental Health Experts.
Since March, 2022, CHB in collaboration with USAID/INGOBYI Activity, has been conducting the Pilot testing of YAhealth App in 10 distinguished districts of Rwanda to anticipate/identify early some technical problems/issues, and evaluate the feasibility, responsiveness, and performance of the App and collect feedbacks before launching it to the public.
This pilot test aimed:
- To compare the actual and proposed performance of the App,
- To create the App champions who will aid in its dissemination and promotion,
- To gauge youths and adolescents’ reaction to the App,
- Debug the App so as to get the chance to fix these bugs beforehand,
- Checking the readiness of the App for full-scale implementation.
During this Pilot testing, community outreaches were conducted in 5 sectors of Gatsibo; 10 sectors and 4 H.Cs of Ngoma; 6 H.Cs of Ruhango; 3 H.Cs of Nyagatare; 2 sectors and 10 H.Cs of Nyanza; 1 sector of Muhanga; 3 sectors and 7 schools of Musanze; 3sectors and 4 schools of Rubavu; 4 sectors of Gicumbi; and 11 H.Cs of Huye Districts. In these districts, the total of 2,045 people was reached including 1,655 out of school youths (855 girls and 800 boys), 49 students, 220 teachers, and 121 ASRH focal points.
Despite their determination and commitments, the majority of trained App ambassadors more so peer educators and teachers kept highlighting the lack of enough materials to source information, and lack of immediate and timely supports when they are asked complicated questions regarding ASRH/FP and mental health either by peers or students. This way, they were introduced to the YAhealth App that was going to solve most of their challenges via timely access to ASRH/FP and mental health information on their mobile phones or laptops, using the private chat to ask questions directly to the ASRH experts and get immediate answer/support without more waits especially the hard to answer questions being asked while delivering education sessions with peers or students.
Participants were oriented on the Application, its features and functionality, and given access to the application. After the orientation, participants with smart phones and computers were supported to install, navigate into the app and in demonstration on the use of menstrual cycle tracking, chat, discussion forum, service location tracking and account creation, and given the room to generate feedbacks and ask questions.
photo 1: Teachers and Students being trained on the YAhealth App in Smart Class
photo 2: One of the students talking about how YAhealth App is going to help her and her fellow students
Specifically, the teachers were briefed on how they can use the app in delivering CSE in Smart Classes at their schools and most of them pointed out how this app will help the students to access the information and ask the related questions or support through the chat in private and confidential means since they are not yet fully open to talk to or ask for support from their teachers. On the other hand, teachers said that this app will be a daily tool to help them deliver sexuality education comprehensively. In addition, the participants were very thrilled with the app features and how they specifically tackle the existing ASRH and mental health challenges facing young people by promoting access to reliable and trusted information, offer a room for young people to talk and interact freely among themselves and with experts on ASRH and mental health matters, and connect young people to the existing services.
The trained youths, teachers, and ASRH focal points are giving back to their respective communities by disseminating the app among their peers, helping students to use YAhealth App through smart classes in their respective schools, and promoting the use of app among the youths and adolescents who consult the youth corners respectively.
Table 1: A summary of Achievements
| District Visited | Visited Place | Number of out of school youths reached | Number Students reached | Number of ASRH Focal Points reached | Number of Teachers reached |
| GATSIBO | Kabarore, Ngarama, Muhura, Kiramuruzi, and Gatsibo sectors | 228 | 0 | 19 | 68 |
| NGOMA | Kazo, Mutenderi, Rurenge, Kibungo, Remera, Zaza, Gashanda, Mugesera and Karembo Sectors; and Gituku, Rukoma Sake, Nyange and Rukira Health centers, | 465 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| MUHANGA | Muhanga District | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| MUSANZE | Muhoza, Kimonyi and Cyuve sectors; and G.S Muhoza II, G.S Busogo, G.S Remera, Busogo, Rwaza, Saint Vincent, and Kampanga schools | 121 | 20 | 19 | 82 |
| RUBAVU | Gisenyi, Rubavu and Rugerero sectors; and G.S Rubavu I, Rubavu II, E.S Gisenyi and Ecole d’art de Nyundo Schools | 63 | 29 | 20 | 12 |
| GICUMBI | Miyove, Rutare, Rebero, and Murindi sectors | 32 | 0 | 16 | 29 |
| NYANZA | Mukingo Sector and YEGO Center of NYANZA District; and Cyaratsi, Nyarusange, Nyabinyenga, Nyanza, Gahombo, Nyamiyaga, Ntyazo, Ruyenzi, Hanika and Nyamure HCs | 250 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| RUHANGO | Mwendo, Muremure, Muyunzwe, Mbuye, Kizibere and Byimana HCs | 174 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| HUYE | Rusatira, Rubona, Kinyamakara, Simbi, Ruhashya, Rwaniro, Sovu, Maraba, Busoro Gishamvu, Mukura and Rango HCs | 256 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| NYAGATARE | Cyabayaga, Nyakigendo and Matimba H.C | 66 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 1,655 | 49 | 121 | 220 | |