Since 2019, CHASE Africa and our local partner, The Maa Trust, have delivered the ‘Integrated Community Health Programme’ in Narok West sub county in the Maasai Mara, to improve attitudes and access to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights services.
Despite huge strides forward in reducing teenage and child pregnancy, school dropout and raising awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights, we still see alarming rates of teenage pregnancy in Narok West sub county.
According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2022, Narok county, made up of six sub counties including Narok West, has the fourth highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Kenya (28% compared to the national average of 15%).
In Narok West sub county, services and information that are adapted for young people are rare. Many women are still getting family planning services secretly. 69% of the men who participated in The Maa Trust’s focus group discussions are not informed of any family planning methods, and as a result they can remain opposed to women accessing family planning and other Sexual and Reproductive Health services.

A Public Health Officer speaks to mothers about family planning
A new phase to drive growth
The latest phase of our programme, which runs until December 2024, focusses on spreading wider the quality provision of sexual and reproductive health services and messages, as well as expanding youth-friendly information and services to the underserved, rural and often isolated community members in Narok West.
We are also engaging and informing the wider community, especially men, so we can challenge existing knowledge, attitudes and harmful practices that jeopardise the ability of young people to realise their rights.
Improving services for young people
We are pleased to share that one key milestone of the programme has recently taken place. The activity will help to increase accessibility of Sexual and Reproductive Health services in the more rural areas of Narok West.
Eight Nurses from eight health facilities across the area where the Maa Trust works have successfully completed a specialist and comprehensive five-day training session focused on Adolescent youth friendly health services. The training was also attended by representatives from the Narok County Health Department, including county and sub-county officials.
The training will support the Nurses to offer sexual and reproductive health services from safe spaces which are acceptable and appropriate for adolescents and young people.
Eight Nurses were also trained last year meaning 16 Nurses in total have now been trained by the Maa Trust.

A training session led by the County Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Coordinator
This training is a significant step forward in enhancing the integration and delivery of crucial health services within our communities and facilities. We celebrate and appreciate the vital role these Nurses play in our mission to support healthy and empowered communities!
The Maa Trust
Reaching the wider community
The programme will also continue to improve access to Sexual and Reproductive Health quality services to rural communities through:
• Mobile health clinics: one-day events run in rural areas offering free services and information.
• Backpack Nurses: The visit usually takes place in a pre-identified area by the Community Health Worker and the facility. This is usually guided if there are women or clients seeking SRHR services. Additionally, the immunization defaulters list from the facility helps in identifying these villages. nurse or
• Community Health Workers: personnel employed to visit people in the privacy of their homes providing information, advice and certain contraceptive services.
By raising awareness, tackling myths and cultural beliefs, and giving access to Sexual and Reproductive Health services through a rights-based approach, this programme will continue to have a significant impact on the wellbeing of the local community through better health, employment opportunities and poverty reduction.
We would like to thank Addax and Oryx Foundation for their continued support of this vital programme.