The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges young people face when accessing Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) services and information. This, compounded with refusal of care, lack of tailored SRHR services for young people, limited and/or lack of easily available accurate SRHR information, and lack of financial ability to travel to where services are provided. Ibis’s mmoho campaign Facebook page continues to offer SRHR information for young people, and it is through this platform that young people reached out to the mmoho Facebook inbox to private message for additional information—especially during the lockdown period when movement was restricted by COVID-19 restrictions.
In trying to make meaningful responses to young people using the Facebook platform, mmoho team members used their personal mobile numbers as helplines as conversations moved from the Facebook inbox to a call. This experience prompted the need to establish an SRHR helpline and networks for support that cater for young people.
The mmoho Helpline was launched on 1 December 2023 (World Aids Day). The day was intended to draw the linkages of high HIV/AIDS infections among young people, high teenage pregnancy rates, and other related reproductive health challenges, with the need to develop interventions such as the mmoho Helpline, as a meaningful and equitable response.
Currently the helpline offers the following referral services:
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GBV and trauma support services
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Safe and legal abortion referral services
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Pregnancy and contraception referral services
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LGBTQI+ support referral services
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HIV/AIDS and STI referral support services
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Mental health and psycho-social referral support services.
The mmoho Helpline is critical because of our inclusion of abortion care services in the information and referrals we provide, and we believe that information on safe and legal abortion access has been particularly difficult for young people to find. Understanding this, we anticipate that the Helpline will provide an avenue for young people to access telehealth abortion services and information, in addition to the other referral services we offer.
Learn more about the mmoho campaign here.