On Thursday, 23rd April 2026, Voices for Health and Development (Voices) officially launched the My Choice Campaign at Nkumba University.

The day started with rain, the kind that makes you wonder if people will actually show up. But even with that, Campus Health Ambassadors (CHAs), our trained university students who support their peers with accurate SRHR information and link them to services, were already moving around campus, talking to students, calling their friends, and encouraging people to come through.

And students came.

Even before the official launch began, students were already accessing services. At different tents, our partners from Reproductive Health Uganda were providing contraceptive services, cervical cancer screening, and STI screening and management, while TASO Uganda offered HIV counselling and testing. Some conversations were easy, others a bit uncomfortable, but they were happening, and that’s what mattered.

By the time the program officially started, over 400 students had gathered, not just to listen, but to be part of something.

The My Choice Campaign is a youth-led initiative focused on empowering university students, especially young women, with accurate information, supportive networks, and access to youth-friendly SRHR services. More importantly, it is co-created with them, and that difference showed throughout the day.

From the MCs to the panel discussions, young people were not just attending, they were leading. They owned the space, the conversations, and the energy of the event

Speaking at the launch, the Team Lead, Ms. Mahoro, highlighted a reality many young people are still facing: making life-changing decisions without access to reliable information, safe spaces, or the support systems they need. The effects of this are real, showing up in unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and in the quiet ways young people try to navigate situations they were never fully prepared for.

In his keynote address, Mr. Mawanda Derrick, Guild President of Nkumba University, described the launch as more than just an event, noting that it marked the beginning of a movement. He encouraged students to take action, to use the services available, to ask questions, and to expect confidentiality when they seek support, because access to services only works if young people feel safe using them.

The truth is simple: when young people lack access to accurate SRHR information and services, the cost is high, not just for individuals, but for families, institutions, and the country as a whole.

To the young women at Nkumba University, and across universities in Uganda, this campaign is for you, but it is also by you. Your voices matter, your experiences matter, and you deserve spaces where you can ask questions, seek services, and make decisions without fear or judgment.

Ms. Achen Racheal, Board Chair of Voices, encouraged students to make the most of the opportunity, urging them to use the space to ask questions, learn, and share that knowledge with others, and most importantly, to utilise the services available to them.

The day was not just about speeches. There were performances, cultural dances, and moments of laughter that made the space feel open and alive, balancing the seriousness of the conversations with a sense of community and expression. A panel discussion with Campus Health Ambassadors, university representative, and SRHR service providers also sparked honest conversations, some expected some not, but all were important.

One of the most encouraging moments came from the students themselves. Several female student leaders approached the team, asking for the campaign to be taken to their schools and districts, a clear reflection of how relevant and needed these conversations are beyond Nkumba.

As the event came to an end, local artists performed while Campus Health Ambassadors continued distributing SRHR commodities and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to their peers, showing that the work does not stop when the program ends.

It is one thing to launch a campaign, but it is something else when the people it is meant for are the ones shaping it, leading it, and carrying it forward. The My Choice Campaign is about ownership, dignity, and making sure young people are not left to figure everything out on their own.