Kabwe Mwamba from the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)’s Social Science Research Group (SSRG) made a thought-provoking poster presentation titled “Drivers of HIV Testing Among Adolescent Girls in the SKILLZ Girl Program in Lusaka Province, Zambia,” at the Zambia Health Research Conference.

The research provided crucial insights into the factors encouraging young girls to seek HIV testing.The SKILLZ Girl Program, implemented by Grassroots Soccer (GRS), is designed to empower adolescent girls by helping them overcome barriers and improve their access to sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV testing. CIDRZ’s evaluation of the program sought to pinpoint the key drivers that encourage HIV testing among these young girls.

The findings revealed that SKILLZ sessions were pivotal in influencing the girls’ decisions to get tested. The information shared during these sessions and peer influence significantly impacted their choices. The warmth and personal stories shared by the coaches also contributed to breaking down barriers, making the girls feel more comfortable about getting tested. Parental encouragement and the soccer events hosted by the program provided an additional push, creating ideal environments for testing.

Many of the adolescent girls involved in the study were also self-motivated to test, driven by a desire for peace of mind and knowledge of their HIV status. This internal motivation highlighted the growing awareness and understanding of HIV among the youth.

One of the standout recommendations from the research is the potential for girls who test negative for HIV to become ambassadors for testing. These young girls could play a decisive role in encouraging their peers to get tested and re-tested, promoting a culture of health awareness and regular testing in their communities.