The Sédhiou region is characterized by a high rate of gender-based violence (female genital mutilation (FGM), pregnancy and early marriage) associated with a lack of information and knowledge about reproductive health among adolescents and youth. In addition, RH services for adolescents and young people are not very well adapted to their needs and they do not attend health facilities very often. This contributes greatly to their social vulnerability and compromises adolescent reproductive health in general.
To provide some answers, the Reproductive Health of Adolescents and Youth in Senegal - Sunu Wergu Yaram, Suni Yitte (SANSAS) project is implemented by a consortium composed of the lead partner Solthis, ENDA Santé, Equipop, RAES, and Lartes in the department of Mbour and the region of Sédhiou
ENDA Santé, in charge of the capacity building of community actors and the provision of services through the mobile clinic, organizes, in collaboration with health facilities, capacity building sessions for peer educators (youth leaders) to provide RH services adapted to adolescents and youth.
The SANSAS project covers 15 health care delivery points (PPS) in the districts of Sédhiou, Bounkiling and Goudomp in the Sédhiou region. Each month, the mobile clinic and its team are deployed in the areas covered by the PPSs on the basis of a joint planning with the health district teams (RH coordinators, chief doctors and the health posts of the different project sites).
The activities are organized in partnership with the adolescent counseling center, which provides ENDA Santé's mobile teams with young leaders trained by ENDA Santé and the consortium partners. These young people mobilize their peers and raise awareness through home visits involving parents, community and religious leaders.
The SANSAS project is funded by the French Development Agency (AFD). Its objective is to improve access to reproductive health for adolescents and youth, particularly girls, young women and vulnerable youth, through access to quality and appropriate health services and RH education aimed at reducing gender inequalities and related violence.
