Shadia Namuyanja is a hustler. That is what she calls herself, and she means it without apology. At 21, she makes and sells street food snacks, sells charcoal, and bartends whenever work comes her way—whatever keeps her and her five-year-old son fed. They live at her sister’s rental home in Mbuya, a suburb of Kampala.
Shadia lost her mother at a young age. After her mother’s death, she was unable to continue with school. Grief and poverty arrived together. In that gap, an older boy made promises of a better life. She was just 15 when she became pregnant. The father of her child disappeared, leaving her to raise their son alone.
Shadia does not dwell on that time. She speaks about her community with more urgency than she speaks about herself. She believes poverty is a major factor driving vulnerability to exploitation, which in turn contributes to unintended pregnancies and HIV infections.
“When young women cannot afford basic necessities, like sanitary pads, they are often preyed upon by individuals who view them as objects to be used.”
In Uganda, teenage pregnancy rates are among the highest in East Africa. According to a 2022 UNFPA report, 25% of girls aged 15–19 have already given birth or are pregnant with their first child. The statistics are not abstract to Shadia; they are her neighbours, her peers and girls she recognises.
In Uganda, a brand of emergency contraception such as Lydia costs UGX 16,000 (approximately £3). To many, that is a simple transaction. To an underprivileged young woman, it is an entire day’s income on a lucky day. When the cost of a single contraceptive pill rivals the cost of a family’s survival, reproductive healthcare ceases to be a basic right and becomes an unreachable luxury.
“When a Tiko mobiliser approached me and explained that I could get family planning, HIV testing and PrEP free of charge, I knew I had to join. Even if I knew I needed these services, I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to afford them,”
With the injectable contraceptive, Shadia can finally breathe. She is now able to choose when to have her next child and focus entirely on providing for the small family she already has. She credits Tiko with looking out for the wellbeing of girls like her and for creating a place for young mothers, a group she says the world too often overlooks.
“We are often overlooked.”
Shadia dreams of building rental properties to create long-term financial security for herself and her son.
“I want my child to rely on me for everything,” she says. “I want him to know for sure that ‘Mum can do that for me’.”
She draws inspiration from a single mother and philanthropist she follows on TikTok, who cares for both her own child and her community.
“I may not be proud of having become pregnant so young. I felt so ashamed. I thought my life was over. But my child makes me feel powerful now. He is my teacher. He gives me purpose and strength to be and do better. I am glad I had him, and with Tiko’s services, I can plan better for what comes next.”