Harnessing Youth Digital Innovation to Transform HIV Prevention in Mukono, Uganda

This project is being piloted by Mildmay Uganda with an initial investment of around £6,000. If the model proves successful and cost‑effective, we plan to expand and deepen the work with further funding.

The aim of the project is to support local young people to use the tools they know best; mobile phones, social media, and digital storytelling, to protect their health, challenge stigma, and connect thousands of their peers to life-saving information and services.

The challenge

• Uganda has a very young population, and many adolescents and young adults still lack accurate, comprehensive information about HIV

• At the same time, they are among the groups most affected by HIV in Uganda

• Young people are also the most digitally connected segment of the population

• Yet stigma, myths, fear and silence too often continue to shape how they think and talk about HIV.

At a time when misinformation is widespread and trust in institutions is fragile, trusted peer voices matter more than ever.

This pilot focuses on healthcare, dignity and prevention. It tests a youth-led, digital-first approach that meets young people where they already are: on their phones, in their communities and in conversation with one another, offering a cost-effective way to build confidence, reduce stigma and strengthen links to care, while generating evidence that can inform future HIV prevention efforts.

Despite a rapid rise in internet access and social media use, HIV prevention has not kept pace in the digital space. Many young people get their information (and their misinformation) online. Too often, stigma, myths, fear and silence still shape how they think and talk about HIV.

Youth‑led, digital‑first

This project will equip 60 young leaders from Nakifuma County to become digital HIV champions for their peers. These are students, youth group leaders, content creators and community role models who already have influence in their schools, communities and online spaces.

Over 12 months, Mildmay Uganda will work with local partners to:

• Identify and train 60 youth leaders and digital influencers in HIV prevention, digital literacy, safe communication and referral pathways.

• Co‑create youth‑led action plans to guide both online and community‑based activities in three town councils: Nakifuma‑Naggalama, Kasawo and Namataba.

• Launch youth‑friendly social media pages and an interactive chatbot that provide confidential, accurate HIV information and signposting to services.

• Produce a regular stream of short, engaging videos and digital stories that speak in young people’s own language and reflect their lived realities.

• Run the #HIVTalks campaign on Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok, including weekly live discussions hosted by youth influencers.

• Set up a simple call and chat system, supported by trained peer counsellors, to offer real‑time advice, listening support and referrals.

Alongside the online work, trained youth leaders will take these conversations into schools, informal vocational centres and community spaces, creating a strong link between digital engagement and face‑to‑face support.

Who this project will reach

• Primary beneficiaries: 9,200 adolescents and young adults aged 10–24 in Nakifuma County – including in‑school and out‑of‑school youth, students in primary, secondary and informal vocational institutions, and young people who are active online.

• Youth leaders and influencers: 60 young people who will be trained and supported as digital champions, peer educators and content creators.

• Secondary beneficiaries: Teachers, caregivers, community leaders and other role models who will be engaged in dialogue and encouraged to foster more supportive, stigma‑free environments.

In total, we expect at least 36,800 people to benefit indirectly as messages spread through families, schools, youth groups and online networks.

What your support will make possible

An initial investment of around £6,000 through the Partner-led Innovation Fund will enable the Mildmay Uganda team to:

• Train and mentor 60 youth digital champions and influencers leading HIV prevention efforts on‑ and offline.

• Convene youth‑led dialogue forums in three town councils, generating concrete action plans for both community outreach and online engagement.

• Develop and launch social media and chatbot platforms offering accessible, confidential HIV information and signposting to youth‑friendly services.

• Produce a sustained stream of digital content: short videos, stories and live discussions, that normalise talking about HIV, challenge stigma and encourage safer choices.

• Establish a responsive call/chat service staffed by trained peer counsellors, supporting thousands of contacts with information, reassurance and onward referral to local health services.

• Deliver school‑based sessions in at least 15 schools and 5 informal vocational centres, reaching more than 2,000 students directly and many more indirectly through peer networks.

Even at this modest scale, the pilot will generate rich learning on what works best for engaging young people in HIV prevention through low‑cost digital tools.

The change we expect to see

• Stronger knowledge and risk awareness among adolescents and young adults, with myths and misinformation actively challenged in their peer groups and social media spaces.

• Greater youth leadership and ownership of HIV prevention, with a visible network of digital champions continuing to influence their communities.

• Improved access to HIV information and services, especially for young people who may be anxious about attending clinics or talking to adults in their lives.

• Reduced stigma and more open conversations, as young people see and hear peers speaking honestly about HIV, testing, treatment and support.

If these outcomes are achieved, the project will provide a powerful, scalable model for youth‑led, digital HIV prevention across other districts in Uganda and beyond.

How we will measure success

To understand the impact of this £6,000 pilot and make informed decisions about further investment, we will:

• Track digital engagement using dashboards and analytics (followers, reach, views, comments, chatbot and call/chat usage).

• Collect feedback and stories from young people engaging with the chatbot, call/chat services, social media content and #HIVTalks sessions.

• Hold regular review meetings with district health teams, schools and youth leaders to adapt activities based on what is working.

• Carry out baseline and endline assessments and an online survey to understand changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours.

• Use learning from the pilot to refine the model, cost it accurately and develop a case for scaling up to additional schools, communities or districts.

This transparent, evidence‑driven approach will give both individual donors and institutional funders confidence that any future investment builds on a tested, locally‑owned model.

Building something that lasts

From the beginning, this pilot is designed with sustainability in mind. The youth trained through this initiative will form a Digital Health Champions Network, continuing to create content, host discussions and mobilise their peers beyond the initial grant period.

Working closely with district health offices, schools and youth centres, we will ensure that:

• Social media pages and digital tools remain active and locally owned.

• Youth leaders are linked into existing health, education and community structures.

• District health educators are trained and supported to continue using these digital channels in their ongoing HIV prevention work.

Why your support matters now

A relatively small investment of around £6,000 can unlock local creativity, leadership and digital expertise to reach thousands of young people where they already are: on their phones, in their schools and in their online communities.

By supporting this Partner-led Innovation Fund pilot, you will help:

• Protect a generation of young people at heightened risk of HIV.

• Challenge stigma and silence with informed, hopeful and honest conversation.

• Test and refine a practical, low‑cost, youth‑friendly, digital approach that can be sustained and replicated at greater scale.

Together with Mildmay Uganda, we can back young people as they step forward to lead HIV prevention in today’s digital era; for themselves, their friends and their communities.

Photos: Speak Media Uganda