Only 10% of adolescent girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo have their contraceptive needs met. But a new program from MSI DRC is changing that. The “Straight-Talking Big Sisters” are reaching young people with information about sexual and reproductive health. The results? A dramatic increase in the number of young people coming in to get a contraceptive method.
The DRC has a young and growing population. By 2030, the number of young people aged 10-19 will increase dramatically, to 28.6 million people.
Like young people everywhere, these adolescents want to be able to avoid pregnancy. That way, they can complete their education and give themselves a better chance at a secure financial footing. But right now, the number of adolescent girls using contraception in DRC is lower than the African average. In fact, just 10% of girls there have their contraceptive needs met.
With an estimated population of 17 million, Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, is one of the largest and most crowded cities in sub-Saharan Africa. A 2020 study found that only 10% of girls aged 15-19 years in the city were using a modern contraceptive method. Another 13% use a traditional method (such as avoiding sex on days they’re most fertile).
As a result, many girls face unplanned pregnancies. In fact, 8 in 10 pregnancies among adolescents in Kinshasa in 2020 were unplanned, higher than the rate for older age groups. Because of this, more pregnancies end in abortion–and tragically, girls often turn to unsafe providers who threaten their health.
Working with teens, service providers, and partners, we developed a new program aimed at reaching young people in Kinshasa with information about sexual and reproductive health. We call this approach “Straight Talk,” and it includes three key elements:
The Straight Talk intervention is effective at connecting adolescents with services and information tailored to them. During the pilot, MSI Ladies supported by the MSI Big Sisters saw a 53% increase in the number of adolescent clients!
We found that MSI Big Sisters were seen as trusted and relatable sources of information for young people in their communities. Using materials we developed to guide their conversations, they were able to focus on the concerns most relevant to young people and break the ice around awkward topics. The most popular tool? “Truth cards,” cards with questions encompassing a range of sexual health topics. These were helpful in starting conversations about sensitive issues.
Organizing events coordinating the Big Sisters and MSI Ladies took a little more work than our usual community outreach. But the effort was worth it. Straight Talk events were successful in reaching large numbers of people and connecting adolescents to services.
One adolescent in Kinshasa said: “The Big Sisters became like friends. We have their contact details and can call them if we have any concerns.” We learned that having the right profile of peer mobilizer is worth the effort. Taking the time to build a good working relationship between peer mobilizers and service providers leads to stronger results.
Now, the Straight-Talking Big Sisters program is being rolled out across the entire country. But its impact reaches further. We’re using these insights to help us serve young people across all the countries where we work. Together, we can help more young people take control of their reproductive health, setting them on the path to a brighter future.
