Sierra Leone Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme Evaluation 2019

The DFID-funded Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) programme in Tonkolili, Sierra Leone ran from January 2016 until December 2018.

The evaluation found that the programme was relevant, both in terms of meeting the needs and expectations of beneficiaries, and in its relevance to Concern's strategy, country priorities and international development goals. The programme was found to be effective, with 43 communities participating, 188 people trained in the Community Conversations methodology and 22,113 people attending the Community Conversations. A total of 7,088 adolescents were trained in Life Skills and 358 people received Peripheral Health Unit (PHU) training.

The evaluation found that the programme had an impact on the micro and meso levels and communities reported a significant reduction in teenage pregnancy and an increase in school attendance since the programme started. A community leader said 'Concern has changed children, families, homes and the community'.

The evaluation also reviewed lessons learned through the programme, including the value of Concern's long term presence in the communities which developed the trust necessary to engage in such a sensitive topic and the need for sustained support and ongoing training for sustainability of the results gained. Finally, the evaluation makes several recommendations to further improve the programme and to strengthen Concern's future work in the area of adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

This publication covers aid activities implemented with the financial assistance of the UK's Department for International Development, DFID (now called the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO) and Irish Aid. The ideas, opinions and comments therein are entirely the responsibility of its author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect FCDO or Irish Aid policy and donors are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.