Cybergirl: Reimagining sex education for girls

Use of the internet is exploding across Rwanda, especially among youth. We aim to tap into that trend to deliver fun, interactive education that addresses two big challenges of teen pregnancy and unemployment.

THE PROBLEM

Girls in Rwanda lack accurate information about how to prevent pregnancy and HIV. Lack of economic opportunity puts girls at risk for transactional sex. Only 11% of adolescents have comprehensive HIV prevention knowledge and contraceptive use is low. Increasingly, urban African teens turn to the internet and social media for information, but it’s inaccurate and hard to understand.

THE INNOVATION

Cybergirl is an online learning program that teaches urban girls digital design skills and, using interactive, online and SMS tools, educates girls about contraception and HIV/STI prevention and signposts them to youth-friendly clinics and job opportunities. A companion program, Cybernurse, is a decision tool and training program to help improve provider knowledge and choice of methods.

THE OUTCOME

The Cybergirl program will create economic opportunities for girls to participate in Rwanda’s emerging tech economy, and help them safeguard their education health, by giving them high-quality information to prevent unplanned pregnancy and HIV.