Adolescents and young mothers are experiencing significant barriers, including stigma and discrimination to accessing voluntary family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) services at Kanara landing site, Ntoroko District. Although self-care interventions have been shown to reduce such social barriers to family planning and reproductive health care little information is known about this intervention, particularly in low-resource settings. With the district records showing teenage pregnancies standing at a staggering 25% adolescents and young mothers now think that if they are empowered to be in control of their health, such cases of teenage and unwanted pregnancies can significantly reduce.
Self-care is a significant initiative aimed at empowering individuals to take an active role in their health management, ultimately alleviating the burden on healthcare workers. Rehema Kabatoro a resident of Kigungu village in Kanara Sub County says that many adolescents at Kanara landing site experience fear and shame when purchasing contraceptive products and consequently avoid healthcare facilities. Kabatoro who gave birth at 16 years believes that in the absence of self-care awareness many young women like her have gone on to have unwanted pregnancies and in the worst scenario contract sexually transmitted infections like HIV-Aids.
Bob Kuguma. a youth in Kanara Town Council notes that many young people are not equipped with skills and essential items they can use to manage their he.