The BUGEP Project sought to reduce the overwhelming burden of HIV on 1,250 adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 10-24, including those with disabilities, in Buvuma District through the provision of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). Specifically, CenRID contributed to improving the knowledge of HIV and sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among AGYW by providing various services, including prevention and diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, counseling on family planning, prevention and management of gender-based violence, prevention of unsafe abortion and providing safe abortion care, promotion of menstrual hygiene and health, etc. Intensive social and behavior change communication (SBCC) activities, including workshops targeting community and traditional leaders, performed art festivals (PAFs), teen outreaches, etc. were undertaken to narrow, reframe, and eliminate gender differences in sexuality while bolstering those positive attitudes related to gender norms.

Teen outreach activities, including volunteer community service; working as aides in health centers, witnessing/partaking in HIV counseling sessions, participating in HIV outreach events, etc. were designed, based on the helper-therapy principle, to empower the AGYW by giving them a chance to be help-givers rather than help-receivers. These activities improved their skills and sense of self-efficacy, promoted essential attitude change about the perceived personal risk of HIV infection, helped the girls to develop a belief in the right to and responsibility for safe practices, promoted greater open-mindedness concerning gender roles, and increased the basic rights of those vulnerable to and affected by HIV and AIDS.