1 million
visits in 2019
Love Matters Kenya
bringing sexual health education
Love Matters Kenya provides easy-to-access information and news on sexuality and sexual health for the country’s young people. It offers open, honest and non-judgmental discussions around sex and sexuality to help young people make the best possible decisions about their sexual health and rights.
Love Matters Kenya was launched in 2012 and has since become an established presence in Kenya’s SRHR landscape. As well as offering comprehensive evidence- and rights-based information on SRHR topics, eight trained local (s)experts moderate discussions on social media platforms and discussion boards. They engage with young Kenyans to answer their questions, provide consultation, and refer them to local health service providers.
1.55 million
followers in 2019
96% of followers are 18-34 years old
Inclusive SRHR
Love Matters Kenya focuses on a wide audience aged between 15 and 30. The digital identity of the project helps reach out and offer services to otherwise over-looked groups of young people such as LGBT communities and the disabled. With AmplifyChange funding, LM Africa implemented the three-year Rights, evidence, action programme which promoted acceptance of SRHR for young people including LGBT persons.
As well as creating multi–media content celebrating young people’s diversity, the Love Matters Kenya team worked with local partner Network for Adolescents and Youth in Africa (NAYA), to advocate for SRHR at national and international level. An end–line survey carried out for the REA programme in 2019 showed that a third of those surveyed had a more positive attitude to homosexuality as a result of engaging with Love Matters Kenya’s content
User-centred content
Love Matters Kenya develops and implements content and engagement strategies based on data analysis. Online data and online behaviour, as well as feedback from the audience, are key indicators of their needs and interests and form a basis for much content. The Nairobi-based team work closely with local partners and individual contributors to carefully tailor the content and make sure it is culturally appropriate.
The team are exploring the potential of podcasts and animation to engage their young audience and the option of working with free internet service providers such as the BRCK platform to ensure that the content is accessible to as many young Kenyans as possible.
Some of the questions posed on the Love Matters Kenya discussion board:
Can a man know if you have sex with another man a day ago?
What is the best birth control if I just had a child?
My wife told me that she don’t feel like loving me but me I still love her, so what can I do?
Explore the possibilities on love, sex and relationships
Would you like to join us in creating safe spaces for young people to make informed choices to have safer, healthier and happier sex and relationships? Please contact us to explore the possibilities.
Love Matters projects
© LOVE MATTERS | Rita Lino
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