To all the courageous women and young ladies in Rwanda and across Africa: you are the heartbeat of our communities, the light in every generation, and the powerful force shaping a better tomorrow. At IWEHA, we believe that your health, voice, and dreams matter. Never let limitations define you as your strength, resilience, and brilliance can break barriers and transform societies. Know that you are not alone; together, we rise, support one another, and build a future where equity in health and opportunity is not a privilege but a right for every woman. Keep shining, keep striving as you are destined for greatness.

To empower adolescent girls in secondary schools through culturally sensitive sexual health education, access to basic healthcare, and mentorship, while advocating for systemic change that promotes gender equity in health.

To create a future where every young girl, regardless of her social, economic, or geographic background, has equal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and essential health services , this vision speaks directly to one of the most pressing health equity challenges facing Rwanda and the broader Sub-Saharan African region.

In Rwanda, as in many countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls as particularly those in rural or impoverished settings, continue to face significant barriers in accessing age-appropriate, culturally relevant sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and care. These barriers include limited school-based health education, deeply rooted social stigma, gender-based violence, poverty, and under-resourced health systems. Although Rwanda has made commendable progress in expanding community health services and promoting youth-friendly health policies, disparities persist in the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of SRH services for adolescent girls.

Moreover, in many rural secondary schools, young girls struggle in silence due to a lack of menstrual hygiene products, inadequate water and sanitation facilities, and the absence of confidential counseling services. This results in school absenteeism, low self-esteem, early pregnancies, and increased vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections. The situation is even more precarious for orphans, girls with disabilities, and those from families living in extreme poverty.

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, similar patterns emerge. Health systems remain overstretched, and the intersection of poverty, gender inequality, and limited policy enforcement leaves millions of girls without access to the tools they need to protect their health, make informed choices, and pursue their education. This vision challenges that status quo. It envisions a region where a girl in Musanze or Bugesera can access the same quality of health information and care as one in Kigali. A future where reproductive health conversations are normalized in homes and schools, where health centers are safe and welcoming spaces for youth, and where no girl is held back from fulfilling her potential because of her biology, her background, or her birthplace.

To be updaded