“This conversation could save a life.” That’s what one student said during a recent focus group discussion (FGD) on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) at Nkumba University.

Voices for Health and Development facilitated the session to hear directly from students about the SRHR challenges they face in university settings. Spread across classrooms, hostel spaces, and outdoor compounds, 40 female students participated in the FGDs—not just to speak, but to shape the future of SRHR programming.

They shared lived experiences that are often left unspoken:

🟣 Seeking contraception and being judged.
🟣 Navigating unsafe abortions in secrecy.
🟣 Facing silence after gender-based violence.
🟣 And lacking clear, trusted support within campus systems.

One student summed it up powerfully: “We don’t want programs designed from behind a desk.”

We agree—and we’re listening. These focus group discussions are part of our ongoing commitment to co-create SRHR solutions that are inclusive, youth-centered, and grounded in lived reality. Because young people aren’t just participants in development—they’re essential partners in driving it forward.