On 26 May 2021, MITU started conducting a survey to collect data that will help to evaluate a reproductive health programme known as “Adolescent 360” or A360. The A360 programme was implemented by the Population Services International (PSI) in 10 regions in Tanzania mainland, including the Mwanza region, and was targeting girls aged 15 to 19 years.

The survey is being conducted in 15 wards of Ilemela district in Mwanza city. In each ward, two streets will be selected by lottery to participate in the study and later visited by trained female research assistants to identify households with girls aged 15 to 19 years. Once this exercise is completed, female research assistants will visit the homes of identified girls to inform them about the study, obtain their consent to participate in the study, and conduct a detailed interview in a private location. Research assistants will also separately interview a sample of adults who live with the interviewed girls. MITU would like to find out whether the A360 programme helped to improve what girls’ knew about family planning (ways to delay or prevent pregnancy), and whether the programme made it easier for girls’ to use family planning services if they wanted to avoid or delay getting pregnant.

More than 5,000 girls will be involved in this survey which is expected to be completed by the end of September 2021. MITU received funds to conduct this survey from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children’s Fund Foundation.