No One Left Behind: How Tana River is Advancing Reproductive Health Equity

In Kenya’s Tana River County, where cultural norms, displacement, and limited access to care have long hindered maternal and reproductive health, communities are turning the tide, together.

With one of the country’s lowest modern contraceptive prevalence rates at just 11% (KDHS 2022), the stakes are high. But thanks to the DEESIP Project, a three-year sexual and reproductive health initiative led by Amref Health Africa in Kenya with support from the John Templeton Foundation, families, youth, and persons with disabilities are gaining more access, information, and agency than ever before.

The project delivered strong results reaching over 44,678 Couple Years of Protection (CYPs), representing 96% of its target. Notably, 8% of these CYPs were contributed by adolescents and youth, reflecting the project’s intentional focus on this demographic. This directly translated into 7,165 unintended pregnancies and 83 maternal deaths averted, alongside 6,902 disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) saved.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

“We used to be sidelined, left without information, without services,” shared Ayub, a disability champion from Tana Delta. “Today, we’re no longer invisible. With Amref’s support, 38 of us were trained in health report writing, and we now generate monthly health reports. We’re advocating for services that leave no one behind.”

Inclusivity was central to the approach. Through Amref’s Organisational Development and Systems Strengthening (ODSS) toolkit, 19 youth and community-based organisations were trained, 12 were registered with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, and two now sit on the County Reproductive Health Technical Working Group, ensuring that PWDs have a seat at the table.

“Reaching over 10,000 youth with accurate messages on family planning was no small feat,” said Kode Komora, a youth champion. “We didn’t just talk, we provided services, increased our outreach by 17%, and changed mindsets. But we need more youth-friendly spaces and peer-led exchange programmes.”

Religious leaders also helped shift perceptions, fostering open dialogue around child spacing through scripture, interfaith forums, and grassroots outreach.

“Religious leaders are powerful agents of change,” noted Gilbert Wangalwa, Deputy Country Director, Amref Health Africa in Kenya. “And people with disabilities must not just be included, they must lead. We’re proud of the CHPs and community champions whose efforts have moved the needle on maternal health in Tana River.”

Wangalwa also reaffirmed Amref’s commitment to reimagining primary health care in collaboration with counties, using digital tools, youth leadership, and community voices to drive locally owned solutions.

This is not just a celebration of what has been achieved, but a new beginning. With sustained investment and shared leadership, Tana River can become a national model for inclusive, resilient reproductive health care.

Author: Noah Wekesa W., Amref Health Africa.