In June 2008, with technical assistance of World Population Foundation (WPF), Educaids started the ShareFrame project in Kenya. This project aims at developing, in a network, a Sexual development, Hiv/Aids and Reproductive health Education FRAMEwork for effective communication and interventions, based on the needs of young people.
The Intervention Mapping (IM) model will be used as a tool to develop a framework that is based on these needs. IM is one of the few models known, that can help in developing (and implementing) effective interventions through its theory- and evidence-based approach.
Each Educaids partner organisation established a team that is responsible for helping to develop the framework by conducting a Situational Analysis/Needs Assessment (SA/NA) and based on this SA/NA, stating objectives and messages. WPF trained and coached the teams.
The network as a whole was supported in their Shareframe activities with a series of four workshops. The project started with the first step of Intervention Mapping, the preparation and involvement the building of a network. Partners developed a shared understanding of the effectiveness of comprehensive education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and they strenghtened their organizational capacity to conduct a SA/NA. Within the network, partners became willing to exchange experiences and tools and are openly talking about sexuality. In the next step of the intervention mapping process, partners conducted a SA/NA for the target groups in their own programmes.
In September 2009, the Educaids partner organizations presented the outcomes of their situational analyses and needs assessments. This resulted in the formulation of the shared network goal:
Empower young people in Kenya through education to make well informed sexual and reproductive health and right choices that will help their potential to the fullest in a conducive environment.
This goal was worked out in the following four objectives:
1) To provide children and young persons with appropriate and accurate knowledge and skills to enhance positive attitude on SRHR and ensure their active participation.
2) To enhance the capacity of stakeholders (parents, teachers, guardians, community and religious leaders) to support children and young people to make informed choices on SRHR issues.
3) To enhance the capacity of health service providers to provide youth friendly services.
4) To advocate for review and implementation of policies on SRHR and change in retroregressive cultural practices and other social factors that influence SRHR among young people.
This policy framework guided the formulation of a number of principles, such as the promotion of gender equity, non-discrimination and explicit communication on SRHR issues. Partners emphasized a positive approach to sexuality, in which consensual sex can be enjoyed in a safe context. Also, partners decided to adhere to a ABCDEF approach.
The four objectives were translated in a list of activities for the Educaids network and the individual partners on linking & learning, lobby & advocacy and scaling up. Early 2010, the Kenyan Educaids network will decide upon a selection of activities to work on during the coming period.