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SHE SOARS project for out of school adolescents and young women
- Mercy
- Kenya
- February 1, 2026
Situation
Out-of-school adolescent girls—many facing early pregnancy, forced marriage, economic exclusion and stigma—struggle to access reproductive, maternal and child health services. Traditional programs overlook their realities, while social norms and limited economic agency further restrict care-seeking.
Assignment
The challenge was to generate insights for an inclusive service delivery model that engages adolescents, families, community leaders, health providers and government stakeholders in creating an enabling environment for young mothers to access RMNCH services.
Approach
Using a human-centred design process, the team conducted immersive research through interviews, focus groups and intercepts with adolescents and key influencers. Insight-driven ideation sessions co-created solutions addressing barriers, followed by prototyping and testing a service model with users and health system actors. Iterations refined feasibility, acceptability and integration pathways for implementation.
Result
The process led to the formation of Role Model Girl Groups—peer cohorts of 15–20 young mothers accessing stigma-free ANC, interpersonal therapy, and savings-and-loan activities at nearby facilities. Linked to trained providers and supported by health-system strengthening, the model has been adopted by county governments, demonstrating sustainability and scalable impact.