Livelihoods Intervention With Urban Refugee Youth in Kampala, Uganda

Peer navigators will demonstrate how to use an HIVST kit, including how to 1) open the kit, 2) collect the oral fluid samples, and 3) read the results. In addition to HIVST education, participants will be offered optional pre-test counselling and SMS contact information to connect with their peer navigator. If participants do not want post-test counselling, the PN will follow up within two weeks. If the participants report testing positive, then they will be immediately scheduled for confirmatory testing and enrolled in the support programs at MARPI for young people living with HIV.

The investigators are collaborating with the WelTel non-profit agency for a supportive SMS intervention. The WelTel system will manage the SMS intervention on their structured mobile phone platform (all SMS interactions are logged). Weekly 2-way supportive messages will automatically be sent on the same weekday with WelTel software to Arm 2+3 participants. The peer navigator will ask Arm 2+3 participants to respond to the SMS within 48 hours to confirm their wellbeing and will follow-up with non-responders. The Arm 2+3 peer navigators and Research Coordinator will access the server every 24-48 hours to triage and respond to participants who express a problem or need.

Creating Futures is a group intervention that aims to help young people build their livelihoods, and was designed for use with youth (18-24) in urban informal settlements in South Africa.