In 2003, World Population Foundation (www.wpf.org) in cooperation with Butterfly Works (www.butterflyworks.org) and SchoolNet Uganda (www.schoolnetuganda.sc.ug ) developed an innovative ICT-based adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights curriculum ; the World Starts With Me (WSWM).

In 2004, the World Starts With Me was awarded the Golden Nica Award for the Digital Communities by Prix Ars Electronica for its innovativeness and relevance to Uganda (http://schoolnetuganda.sc.ug/golden-nica-award ).

The WSWM is currently implemented (2008) in 100 schools in 29 districts across the country. SchoolNet Uganda hopes to expand the program in 150 secondary schools in 2009.

After 5 years of implementation of the program in Uganda time has come to evaluate the program to see whether the program is effective in changing adolescents’ sexual behaviour and how the program can be improved.

The evaluation will consist of two parts: an effect evaluation and a process evaluation.

The effect evaluation:

The effect evaluation aims to find out whether the WSWM changes adolescents’ sexual behaviour into safer behaviour. The effect evaluation will involve 2400 pupils at 48 secondary schools across the country (24 intervention schools and 24 control schools). The effect evaluation will involve administering a questionnaire in March 2008 and in September 2008 at the end of 2008 at the 48 secondary schools and in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FDGs) with students at two secondary schools. The effect evaluation started on Monday 3rd March 2008.

The expectation is that the pupils who followed the WSWM program at the intervention schools will have, compared to the students in the control schools, increased knowledge about sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues, report a higher increase in safe sexual behaviour, and have changed their attitudes and intentions in a more positive way towards SRHR issues. The effect evaluation is yet to show whether this is really the case!

The Process Evaluation:

The process evaluation will involve observing the teachers delivering the WSWM lessons, in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FDGs) with teachers, pupils and parents on WSWM. It is hoped that the process evaluation will come up with recommendations for improving WSWM.

The 24 Intervention schools are: St. Joseph’s College Ombaci (Arua), Muni Girls SS (Arua), Bweranyangi Girls (Bushenyi), Nganwa High School (Bushenyi), Duhaga SS (Hoima), Wanyange Girls (Jinja), Mt. Rwenzori Girls SS (Kasese), Bwera SS (Kissed), Bukomero SS (Kiboga),Fatima Aloi Comprehensive Girls School (Lira), Rachele Comprehensive (Lira), Luwero SS (Luwero), Ndejje High School (Luwero),Moroto High School (Moroto), Bulo Parents (Mpigi), Kibibi SS (Mpigi), Nyenga SS (Mukono), Hilltop Nkokonjeru (Mukono), Teso College Aloet (Soroti), Tubur SS (Soroti),St. Peters College Tororo (Tororo), Aidan College (Wakiso) and Gayaza High School (Wakiso).

The 24 control schools are: Arua Public School (Arua), Arua Town College Girls SS (Arua), Masheruka Girls (Bushenyi), Ruyonza SS (Bushenyi), Central School Hoima (Hoima), Nakanyonyi Girls SS (Jinja), St. Theresa Girls SS Nsenyi (Kasese), Karambi SS (Kasese), High Standard SS Kateera (Kiboga), Kitgum Comprehensive College (Kitgum), St. Theresa Girls SS (Lira) and Lira Central SS (Lira), St. Andrew Kaggwa Kassala (Luwero), Nandere St. John SS, Butawuka Magezi Ntake SS (Mpigi), Kibibi Standard SS (Mpigi), Lweru SS (Mukono), Bbuule Memorial SS (Mukono), St. Steven SS (Soroti), Orungo High School (Soroti), Angel Education Center, Namasuba (Wakiso) and Trinity College Nabbingo (Wakiso). .