Support the Social Innovation Academy (SINA) to be able to kick-start a projects from its students: Ask Without Shame, for East African youth to have access to information regarding sex through providing a platform to anonymously get the right information and pose any question without fear and shame.


OUR STORY

We have been supporting the orphan Ruth Nabembezi since 2006. She grew up in an orphanage home in Uganda. Her parents passed away when she was young because of AIDS.

Her sister developed severe skin rashes, the neighbors in the village believed that she was possessed by demons and was taken to a witch-doctor to be cleansed but died. Pamela was born with HIV and died because of a lack of sensitization and awareness on HIV. She could have been saved if treated by medical doctors.

Ever since, Ruth developed a strong frustration for the fact that people in Uganda are not having the right information in regards to sex are not supposed to even speak about the topic.


WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

Speaking about sex in East Africa is considered a taboo and many youth have no access to the information they need. Sex education has been canceled from school curricula because it is not academic. Without access, rumors and myths are believed to be the truth and therefore many believe for example that HIV can be transmitted via kissing or that AIDS can be cured if you sleep with a virgin. These false information tremendously stigmatizes people and causes severe harm. The HIV rate is high, teenage and unwanted pregnancies are common and discrimination of women is a prevalent problem. The common solution by politicians and schools to the problems is trying to make the youth abstinent from sexual encounters. It does only work for few and anything prohibited is especially attractive to youth. The engage in sexual activity without being informed about it, and its possible consequences.


OVERALL GOAL

Ask Without Shame will create an App which will provide sex education, true information for Ugandan and East African youth, debunk myths and serve as an interactive platform to share concerns and pose questions to medical specialists anonymously. It will educate the youth about sexual topics and answer their questions.

A quiz-like game with high scores will make it fun and engaging to learn about the topics. However, most importantly the app will be an interactive platform for youth in Uganda to ask any sex related questions anonymously through message service. The users will be able to get shameless advice and support when they face problems or are in difficult situations and have n one to talk to because it is a taboo. Since most youth do not have smartphones, a text message service will also be created, whereby the youth can sign up for a text message flat rate to ask their questions and get the right answers from the health experts, at any time, from anywhere and in any situation, without fear and shame.