A360

What does it take to move from small pilot projects to nationwide impact for #adolescent #girls? Each year, 21 million adolescents become pregnant, most in low- and middle-income countries. We know what works to delay early and repeat pregnancies: engaging families, shifting norms, providing adolescent-responsive care, and aligning #familyplanning with girls’ aspirations. The real challenge lies in scale. How do we reach more girls, sustainably, through government systems? A new brief from A360 and Connect explores the trade-offs we must navigate to get there: -Simplifying interventions without losing impact -Balancing fidelity with adaptation -Choosing between depth of engagement and breadth of reach From Ethiopia to Nigeria, Kenya, Bangladesh, and Tanzania, these programs are proving that scale and impact don’t have to be opposing goals, but getting there requires hard choices and context-driven design. Read more on how A360 and Connect are charting this path: https://bit.ly/474eLuD Save the Children International | Meghan Cutherell, MPH | Mary Phillips | Melanie Yahner | Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC | Farahat Bello | PS Kenya | Population Services International/Ethiopia (PSI/E) | A360 Nigeria | Population Services International

In 2018, adolescent pregnancy in Migori County, Kenya stood at over 37% driven by poverty, sexual and gender-based violence, limited sexual reproductive health information, and harmful communal practices. Today, that figure has dropped to 18.5%. But how did Migori achieve such progress? Through partnerships with initiatives like A360’s Binti Shupavu programme, implemented in Migori County, adolescent girls are gaining access to tailored #SRH information, girl-centred services, and supportive community structures. These efforts, alongside strong county policies, are reshaping opportunities for girls. For #WorldContraceptionDay2025, our Communication Manager, Dionne Warwick Oguna, spoke with Fredrick Ochieng, Child and Adolescent Health Coordinator in Migori County, to unpack the strategies behind this shift and explore what’s next for adolescent girls in Migori County. Watch the video here:  https://lnkd.in/dvaq-MY2 #Adolescentgirls #SRHR #SRH #WCD2025 #IWCD2025 Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC | PS Kenya | Abednego Musau | Beatrice Syomiti | Teddy Oluoch | Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)

What does turning evidence into action for young people look like? Health innovations are only as powerful as our ability to put them into practice. In #adolescent sexual and #reproductivehealth (ASRH), this is where knowledge translation (KT) becomes critical. A new scoping review explored how evidence in #ASRH is or isn’t translated into #policy and practice across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study combined a review of 52 publications with key informant interviews from policymakers, implementers, and researchers in Africa. Here’s what we learned: Barriers 1. Weak knowledge management systems and limited access to high-quality, contextual evidence. 2. Disconnects and mistrust between researchers and policymakers. 3. Over-emphasis on research products over relationship-building. 4. The political sensitivity of adolescent sexuality, which often limits open dialogue. Facilitators 1. Strong, ongoing partnerships between knowledge producers and users. 2. Framing and packaging evidence in accessible, actionable formats (not just academic papers). 3. Technical support to help policymakers apply evidence. 4. Inclusion of youth and marginalised voices in knowledge production and translation. The message is clear: Moving from evidence to action requires more than data. It demands relationships, inclusivity, and strategies tailored to context, only then can research improve outcomes for young people. Read more: https://bit.ly/4nxH5uq #KnowledgeTranslation #ASRH #GlobalHealth #YouthVoices Abednego Musau | Meghan Cutherell, MPH | Mary Phillips | Population Services International | PS Kenya | Population Services International/Ethiopia (PSI/E) | Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC | Beatrice Syomiti | A360 Nigeria | Dionne Warwick Oguna

What does it take to make programmes truly #gender responsive? Often, it starts with the everyday decisions we make, how we design activities, engage communities, and measure success. Yet many practitioners ask: how do we move from good intentions to practical action? That’s why we created this training series on integrating gender into programming - a practical resource that helps turn ideas into action. The series is built around three interactive modules that help practitioners: 1. Explore foundational gender concepts – understand key inclusion issues, analyse norms, and design responsive strategies. 2. Strengthen monitoring and evaluation – develop gender-sensitive indicators, apply robust tools, and address ethical considerations. 3. Apply the Gender Equality Continuum – assess programme approaches, shift power, and promote equity. Each 1.5-hour module comes with a facilitator’s guide, PowerPoint slides, and participant handouts, making it easy to integrate gender into programming at every stage. This resource equips practitioners not only with knowledge, but with the tools to act, helping ensure that gender equity isn’t an afterthought, but the foundation of impactful programming. And because inclusion also means accessibility, the training is available in both English and French. Explore the tool in English here: https://bit.ly/45YjaPa Explore the tool in French here: https://bit.ly/3VagIig Meghan Cutherell, MPH | Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC | Kore Global | Population Services International/Ethiopia (PSI/E) | PS Kenya | A360 Nigeria

Hello LinkedIn Family! #DYK that #adolescents’ access to #contraception is shaped by those closest to them? i.e. parents, partners, religious leaders, and community elders. Through A360 we are creating supportive environments where girls can make informed choices about their reproductive health and futures. - In Kenya, Binti Shupavu stories use storytelling to dispel myths and connect #contraceptive use to #girls’ aspirations. - In Nigeria, husbands are engaged through Male Interpersonal Communication Agents (MIPCA) and religious leaders, reframing contraception as a symbol of responsible fatherhood. - In Ethiopia, Family Circle dialogues bring couples, elders, and health workers together, linking #familyplanning with household well-being and driving significant increases in contraceptive uptake. The impact is clear: 1. Reduced stigma and myths 2. Improved couple communication 3. Increased voluntary #contraceptive use among #adolescents When families, communities, and influencers are meaningfully engaged, #adolescents gain the freedom and support to pursue their goals. Read more: https://bit.ly/4p3lATY Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC | A360 Nigeria | Population Services International | Population Services International/Ethiopia (PSI/E) | Fana A. Abay | PS Kenya | Dionne Warwick Oguna | Winnie Musubika | Teddy Oluoch | Noel Tonka

Hello LinkedIn Family, here's your Tuesday read. In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, #adolescent #girls face a double disadvantage, limited economic opportunities and restricted access to #SRH services. A new study by Mary Phillips et al., shows what happens when we tackle both challenges at once. In Kaduna, #Nigeria, where most #girls marry young, the programme worked with married adolescents. In Ogun, it reached mostly unmarried girls navigating school, #family, and societal expectations. Both groups received #SRH support, but for half, something more was added: business and vocational training, financial education, mentorship, and safe spaces to dream and plan. The results were striking. In Kaduna, girls were 35 percentage points more likely to earn their own money, and #contraceptive use soared. In Ogun, girls were 58 percentage points more likely to earn income, with many investing in assets or contributing to household expenses. Importantly, more girls also expressed intent to use contraception in the future. The lesson is clear: when #adolescentgirls are supported to take charge of both their bodies and their futures, they don’t just improve their own lives, they uplift their families and communities too. Read the full paper here: https://bit.ly/4lToFTG Meghan Cutherell, MPH | Roselyn Odeh | Abednego Musau | Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC | Alexis Coppola, MA | Claire Watt Rothschild, PhD | Noel Tonka | A360 Nigeria | Population Services International | Dionne Warwick Oguna #AdolescentHealth #SRHR #EconomicEmpowerment #Nigeria

Hello LinkedIn Family - here is your Tuesday read! We published the final brief in A360’s Gender Equality Learning from Practice series, this one is on Gender Technical Assistance (TA). The paper reflects on how we have approached gender TA over the past four years, offering insights that may be useful for peers designing or strengthening gender-responsive programming: 1. Localisation matters – tailoring TA to context ensures strategies are relevant and adopted. 2. Layered support is key – global experts, in-country consultants, and internal Gender Champions working together create sustainable change. 3. Champions, not silos – integrating gender equality is a shared responsibility; Champions guide and build capacity across teams. 4. Leadership buy-in drives accountability – when senior leaders commit, gender outcomes are prioritised and resourced. 5. Time and space are required – embedding gender is not incidental work; it needs intentional effort and resourcing. As A360 transitions from implementation to supporting government scale-up, these lessons highlight how technical assistance can strengthen systems while keeping girls’ agency at the centre. Read the final paper here: https://bit.ly/3JyZrg7 #GenderEquality #AdolescentHealth #SRH #LearningFromPractice #TechnicalAssistance Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC | Meghan Cutherell, MPH | Mary Phillips| Winnie Musubika| Dionne Warwick Oguna| A360 Nigeria| Population Services International/Ethiopia (PSI/E)| Population Services International| PS Kenya| Beatrice Syomiti| Abednego Musau

Hello LinkedIn Family here is your Thursday read! What do you think happens when #adolescent #girls are given the tools to earn, save, and decide for themselves? Adolescent girls hold immense potential to shape their futures when they are given the right skills, opportunities, and support. A new study by Roselyn Odeh et al., Pathways to Empowerment, explores how income-generating activities (IGAs) combined with mentorship, vocational training, and #SRH education are transforming lives in Nigeria. Key findings: 1. Every girl interviewed launched an IGA from tailoring to poultry farming. 2. Family support (husbands in Kaduna, mothers in Ogun) was critical to sustaining these businesses. 3. Mentors went beyond teaching skills: they advocated with families, built girls’ confidence, and ensured no girl was left behind. 4. Girls proudly saved, reinvested, and made their own financial decisions. 5. #Contraception was viewed not just as a health tool, but as a pathway to pursue education, grow businesses, and plan families. Key takeaway: Integrated programs that combine #economicempowerment with #SRH education and family engagement create enabling environments where girls can truly thrive. This study is a powerful reminder that when girls have agency over their income, health, and choices, they don’t just change their own futures, they uplift entire communities. Read the full study --> https://bit.ly/41UpNPR #AdolescentGirls #EconomicEmpowerment #SRHR #YouthDevelopment #Nigeria #GlobalHealth #FamilyPlanning #GenderEquality Mary Phillips Grace Jaworski A360 Nigeria Abednego Musau Angelica Mercado Otsanya Ede Fifi Oluwatoyin Ogbondeminu , B. Pharm, MPH, MBA, FPCPharm, FIMC Meghan Cutherell, MPH Alexis Coppola, MA Dionne Warwick Oguna