Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative (ROM) integrates gender equality and social inclusion across all its programs, recognizing that equitable health and development outcomes cannot be achieved without addressing systemic inequities, gender-based violence (GBV), and harmful social norms. ROM empowers women, girls, youth, and marginalized populations by promoting equal access to health, education, economic opportunities, and civic participation while building the capacity of civil society, community-based organizations, and grassroots structures to advocate for inclusive policies and deliver survivor-centered services.
Violence prevention and response are embedded across HIV, maternal and child health, adolescent and youth programming, and harm reduction services. Survivors of sexual violence are supported with timely access to post-exposure prophylaxis, emergency contraception, counseling, and referral through strong community–facility linkages guided by the “Every Hour Matters” model. Male engagement programs address violence within families and communities, transforming harmful masculinities and fostering positive norms around shared decision-making and respect for women’s rights.
Community engagement remains central to ROM’s GESI model. Village Health Teams, peer educators, and activists are trained to identify and respond to cases of violence, provide psychosocial first aid, and link survivors to legal, medical, and social protection services. Survivors are further supported through shelters and safe spaces that offer psychosocial care, legal support, and reintegration assistance. Initiatives such as SASA (Start Awareness Support Action) mobilize communities to challenge power imbalances and reduce tolerance for violence, while radio campaigns and dialogues extend outreach to tens of thousands of listeners in urban and peri-urban communities.
Safe spaces for adolescent girls and young women, peer-led groups, and youth ambassadors provide platforms for psychosocial support, leadership, negotiation skills, and access to health and economic empowerment opportunities. Gender equality and social inclusion are also mainstreamed into education, livelihoods, and household resilience initiatives, ensuring that women and vulnerable groups participate
fully in decision-making and break intergenerational cycles of poverty and exclusion. ROM’s GESI approach addresses structural barriers, transforms harmful gender norms, and ensures health and development programs are inclusive, equitable, and responsive.