Tukisonga Project
Project Overview
The Tukisonga Project was implemented by Tunaweza Empowerment Organization in partnership with Girl Effect to support adolescents and young people with accurate information, safe spaces for dialogue, and access to essential services. The project focused on strengthening youth agency, promoting healthy decision-making and addressing key issues affecting young people, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender roles and norms and access to services.
Through innovative digital tools and community-led approaches, Tukisonga created opportunities for young people to learn, share experiences and take action within their communities.
Our Approach
At the core of Tukisonga was the use of the Champions App, a digital platform that enabled trained community Champions to facilitate structured, engaging group discussions. The app provided a session library with ready-to-use agendas, learning objectives, themes, goals, and guided content to support meaningful and age-appropriate discussions.
The project also integrated watching sessions, where adolescents and young people gathered in safe, facilitated spaces to watch Tukisonga Series 1 episodes. Each episode was followed by guided group discussions, allowing participants to reflect on the stories, ask questions, share personal experiences and connect the themes to their own lives. These sessions made learning more relatable, sparked open conversations and helped simplify complex and sensitive topics.
Champions used the app’s reporting feature to submit session reports online after every discussion, which were later synchronized for learning, accountability and program improvement. Additional sections within the app, including General Training and Services, strengthened Champion capacity and supported referral and linkage to youth-friendly services.
Key Activities
Impact
The Tukisonga Project contributed to increased knowledge, confidence and participation among adolescents and young people. Participants were able to openly discuss sensitive issues, challenge harmful social norms and seek information and services without fear or stigma. Champions were empowered with practical digital tools that improved facilitation quality, consistency and accountability.
Lessons Learned
Moving Forward
Building on the success of Tukisonga, Tunaweza continues to invest in youth-led, tech-enabled approaches that place adolescents and young people at the center of change. The lessons from this project continue to inform our programming, partnerships and advocacy efforts.
