Mayuge District, located in Eastern Uganda, faces challenges such as a high HIV prevalence of 7%, well above the national average of 6.2%, and a teenage pregnancy rate of 67%, much higher than the national rate of 23%. Factors contributing to these issues include risky sexual behaviours, early sexual debut, transactional sex involving sugar daddies, and limited comprehensive knowledge about HIV and pregnancy.

In the period from June 2023 to August 2023, we implemented a pilot project called “sugar daddy awareness” classes in Mayuge District, Eastern Uganda to educate and empower girls aged 12-14 about the risks of sexually partnering with older men. The project aimed at combating high HIV prevalence and high teenage pregnancy rates,involved training facilitators and providing them with laptops and projectors. It involved mapping schools for sugar daddy awareness classes based on HIV prevalence and teenage pregnancy rates. Out of 10 schools, three were selected as intervention schools in collaboration with district officials and school management. The “Sugar Daddy Awareness Classes” model, lasting one hour, was chosen due to the widespread occurrence of cross-generational sex in Uganda. Facilitators used a 20-minute video, “Sara: the trap,” developed by UNICEF, to delay the age of sexual debut for African girls and empower them to handle advances from older men, including sugar daddies followed by discussions with the girls about the risks of sugar daddies, including teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, and HIV transmission.This program reached 511 girls aged 12- 14 across three schools, encouraging them to share knowledge about the risks associated with sugar daddy relationships.

Our goal is to scale up these awareness classes, targeting an additional 1,000 girls by December 2024. To achieve this, we aim to raise an additional $30,000 through grant writing and partnerships with local and international implementing partners in Uganda.