In Development

Billions of dollars are being invested in PrEP across sub-Saharan Africa, and formulations like Lenacapavir now demonstrate close to full efficacy against HIV, yet these investments are not translating into the reductions in new infections they should, because the psychosocial barriers that stop women initiating and sustaining PrEP go unaddressed. This gap is sharpest among pregnant and postpartum adolescent girls and young women, who account for the largest share of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa but whose PrEP continuation falls to around 50% by three months postpartum, just as the risk of acquiring HIV and transmitting it through breastfeeding rises. Community-based maternal mental support is the missing infrastructure that closes this gap. Trained Mother Champions provide sustained, community-based support from pregnancy through six months postpartum, helping young mothers understand their options, choose the right formulation, and stay on it through the critical postpartum period when drop-off is most likely and support matters most.

The Healthy Brains Global Initiative, the Education Outcomes Fund, UNFPA and the SDG Partnership Platform, came together in Kenya, with funding and support from the Outcomes Accelerator to design, raise funds for and launch an Outcome of Ambition (OoA). OoA was initiated as a response to the significant challenges faced by the 14,000 adolescent girls (aged 15 to 19) in Kenya who leave school each year as a result of pregnancy. The consequences of this school drop-out for the young mother, and her child, are stark in terms of future life chances and wellbeing.

OUTCOME OF AMBITION proposes a $15M+ Outcomes Fund to support 13,000+ young women across 3–5 counties over 3–4 years, linking funding directly to verified employment,earnings, and livelihood outcomes.