Opportunity Area
How might we improve access to maternal health pharmaceuticals and supplies for the youth in Uganda?
Sub Area:
Improve information flow between distribution actors, health facilities and the end-user (youth) to drive demand for services;
What is the title of your idea?
Health Data Driven Journalism.
Describe your idea in one sentence.
The idea is about driving the needs of citizens (youth) to the relevant authorities with data than pushing data and services to the youth.
Where are you located?
Kampala
Are you incorporated?
No
If not, do you hope to complete within the next one month once accepted into the program?
Yes
How did you come up with the idea? Explain briefly how you identified the need or opportunity?
There are many programs, policies and health centers for youth maternal health and pharmaceutical supply which are not being used. The problem with most initiatives is they are conceived without the participation of youth who are the users for which they are tailored, this alienates the users and creates a disconnect between the innovators, implementer and the end users of these programs hence high teenage pregnancy and high HIV/AIDS prevalence. The youth must be given a platform in policy making of reproductive health and their voices and needs considered. They need a channel to articulate their concerns openly on how they believe that maternal health services should be delivered .
What problem does your idea solve in the market?
The idea seeks improve information flow between distribution actors, health facilities and the end-user (youth) to drive demand for services. The idea is to create a platform for the youth on the fastest growing news website to voice their own concerns regarding Maternal Health and Pharmaceutical supplies. These insights into their prevailing knowledge, service use and attitudes will enable health care providers to tailor their needs to accessible maternal health services and pharmaceutical supplies. This will increase accessibility and usage since its designed by the youth themselves.
Who are the beneficiaries of your solution and how will they benefit?
Young people between 18 to 35 years who have access to social media and mobile internet. They will access the platform to input they views and needs to influence accessibility .The beneficiaries will be able to trust the services providers of Maternal Health and Pharmaceutical supplies when they ideas , voices are captured and services are in the line of they needs and thinking.
Why are you convinced your idea will solve the challenge or need?
The youth love to be engaged, they are more interactive and inquisitive. They will also be able to provide more creative insights on how to streamline access to Maternal Health and Pharmaceutical services that other demographics might ignore. This level of citizen engagement coupled with quality service provision will result in community ownership of the project thus guaranteeing project success.Data is meaningless if no-one knows how to use it and our idea will simplify it for the youth to use.
What other initiatives like yours exist out there? How will you differentiate yourself?
Other project that exist out there include the PIPER and PAVES project by Reproductive Health Uganda. This project will be different from the aforementioned projects in a way that it will task the youth to articulate their health needs, engage in dialogue and formulate solutions within the context of their real life settings in regard to Maternal Health and Pharmaceutical Supplies. These solutions/data will then be presented to relevant stakeholders such as mothers, young parents, community health centers, health practitioners and health policy makers to enable them formulate relevant and practical health policy while also designing information systems that are tailored towards existing problems rather than assumed ones.
What have you done up-to date to test your idea with potential users? What learnings do you have to share?
We built a community news website and continuously request youth to share stories and their views which has been a successful . We were able to get 130 stories from young people and 433 comments about health-related issues they face everyday. Lessons learnt are when young people are involved in designing a project for them, they will embrace it, be proud of it, market it as ambassadors hence its success.
Please tell us about each founder and their roles on the team. How do you know your founders and how long have you worked together?
Stephen Muneza
Is a co-founder managing editor at www.theugandan.com.ug. Stephen loves finding new ways to tell stories and involving readers in the process previously worked as Deputy Editor at chimpreports.com, birthplace of Uganda’s investigative reporting and News Editor at Eagle Online. Stephen has worked with and led some of the biggest you driven newsrooms in Uganda’s data journalism, living and defining their trends, behaviours and choices.
Dixon Ampumuza is an award winning Media in Education expert in Africa; he possesses strong analytical skills and 10 years experience working with leading multimedia-multinational companies in East Africa before he co-founded www.theugandan.com and Africa Media Education Literacy Limited. Previously he worked with Vision Group as Advocacy Manager Media in Education and Coordinator for Young Readers in Monitor Publication
Please tell us about other team members that are not cofounders.
Benjamin Asasira is a dedicated and enthusiastic professional with 5 years’ experience in communications and is the co-founder of Africa Media Education Literacy Limited. He is passionate about Youth sexual Reproductive health. He has volunteered with International organisations .
Please describe each founder’s previous experience starting out a business or working in the area of sexual reproductive health? Or You can share anything impressive that each founder brings to the team.
Stephen Muneza is co-founder of www.theugandan.com.ug ,a news website that its house style is reader involvement and is the fastest growing in Uganda.Dixon Ampumuza possesses strong analytical skills and 10 years experience working with leading multimedia-multinational companies in East Africa.He possesses a strong innovative power and his undergraduate research work was about strengthening dissemination of reproductive health information.
Benjamin Asasira possesses exceptional writing and communication skills demonstrated by his experience working for The New Vision publication, his youthful exuberance and insight into the young demographic in terms of trends, behavior and prevailing makes him an asset to a project tailored towards the you
Where is your team located? Please indicate the city or town.
Kampala
Which members of your team will attend the program full-time?
Benjamin Asasira
Tel: 0793842402
Email: [email protected]
Please share a link to a 3 minute online video that best describes your idea and your team
N/A
Supporting Documents
N/A
How old are you?
25
Gender
Male
