In the first 18 months, the Generation H project has made strong progress in developing and preparing health interventions for adolescents in Ghana and Kenya, with focus on promoting healthier eating and physical activity to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and heart disease.
Brief summary for the work done in the project’s Work Packages (WPs):
Project Coordination and Ethics (WP1 & WP8): The project team established clear project structure and agreements between partners, a communication structure, regular Steering Committee meetings, and created a data management plan to ensure responsible handling of information. Ethical approvals were secured by partners and authorities in Ghana and Kenya, and an independent Ethics Advisory Board was set up. Regular reviews confirmed that all activities meet high ethical standards.
Adapting Health Interventions (WP2): Researchers reviewed over 25,000 studies and held interviews and workshops with adolescents, parents, teachers, and community leaders. Together, they designed three core intervention areas: education, access to healthy food, and access to physical activity. These designs are now being further developed to be implemented and tested in schools, community and faith based organizations in the next phase.
Planning for Implementation (WP3): Local stakeholder groups were formed to guide how the interventions will be delivered. Data collection on implementation needs began in Kenya, using proven scientific frameworks to understand what works best in each community.
Field Preparation and Recruitment (WP4): Work Package 4 aims to recruit teenagers and deliver a health intervention in Accra (Ghana) and Nairobi (Kenya). The project mapped and selected diverse neighborhoods, engaged local communities, and set up ethical consent procedures for both Kenya and Ghana. Teams in Kenya, Ghana, were trained to ensure high-quality and consistent data collection. Over 11,000 households in Kenya and 3,000 in Ghana were visited to identify adolescents aged 10-19. More than 11,800 adolescents were listed. Tools were developed to collect information on health, lifestyle, and environment. Community involvement and balanced gender representation were achieved.
Data Management and Analysis (WP5): A secure and GDPR-compliant data system was set up with the Survey-CTO platform supporting structured data collection. All team members are trained to ensure data is collected and managed consistently. Data quality is checked through validation and cleaning, and personal information is kept anonymous and safe. A detailed plan guides how data is analyzed and managed, and this plan will be updated as the project moves forward.
Health Economics (WP6): Initial steps were taken to assess the cost-effectiveness of the interventions. Tools and questionnaires were partly developed, and preparations were made to translate materials into local languages.
Stakeholder Engagement (WP7): A detailed communication plan was created to share project updates with different groups, using both digital and traditional channels. A website and LinkedIn page were launched, reaching over 34,000 visitors, and regular press releases and newsletters kept stakeholders informed. Community and policy engagement events involved youth, leaders, and health officials to support local ownership. A major online stakeholder meeting was held to discuss lessons and strategies for improving health across Africa.
In conclusion, Generation H has successfully completed its first phase, laying a strong foundation for the next steps. The project is now preparing for implementing and testing its interventions, with the goal of improving adolescent health and informing future policies across Africa and beyond.
