Karl Jays led the mid-term evaluation of the Sexual and Reproductive Health & Economic Empowerment – Supporting Out-of-School Adolescent Girls' Rights and Skills (SHE SOARS) project, a multi-country initiative implemented in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia. The project sought to enhance the enjoyment of health-related rights among marginalized adolescents, particularly out-of-school girls aged 15–19, by improving access to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), strengthening health systems, and promoting gender-transformative approaches.
The evaluation assessed the effectiveness, sustainability, and scalability of SHE SOARS interventions. It examined:
The evaluation employed mixed methods and participatory approaches, gathering insights from frontline health workers, peer educators, youth groups, and community stakeholders. The study generated actionable recommendations to inform future implementation, strengthen advocacy, and enhance access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR) services.
By mid-implementation, SHE SOARS had reached over 421,000 participants and trained 4,659 frontline officers. In Kenya alone, the project directly supported nearly 190,000 adolescent girls and over 50,000 boys. The evaluation findings ensured that these gains could be sustained, scaled, and embedded within local systems—driving lasting impact for adolescents across East and Southern Africa.