DEEPROOTS on Wheels is a mobile outreach initiative that brings HIV prevention information, services, and peer support directly into community spaces where adolescent boys and men live, work, and socialize.
Many young men face barriers to accessing HIV prevention services. Health facilities may feel distant, unfriendly, or stigmatizing, and conversations about sexual health are often avoided. DEEPROOTS on Wheels addresses these challenges by creating visible and approachable spaces where boys and men can access information, ask questions, and receive support.
Through a mobile van and trained Peer Community Advisors, the program reaches young men in markets, sports grounds, transport stages, fishing communities, and other public gathering spaces.
Focus on High-Risk Populations
DEEPROOTS on Wheels places special focus on reaching high-risk populations of adolescent boys and men who may have limited access to HIV prevention services or who face higher exposure to HIV risk.
These populations may include young men working or spending time in busy community environments such as transport hubs, trading centers, landing sites, entertainment areas, and other locations where health services are less accessible.
By bringing outreach directly into these spaces, the initiative helps ensure that young men who might otherwise be missed by traditional health programs can still access prevention information, testing referrals, and support.
Why Focus on Adolescent Boys and Men
Across many communities, adolescent boys and men are less likely to seek health services or openly discuss issues related to sexual health and HIV prevention. Harmful social norms around masculinity can discourage men from seeking testing, information, or prevention support.
This gap contributes to ongoing HIV transmission and limits opportunities for prevention.
DEEPROOTS on Wheels creates safe, peer-led spaces where boys and men can discuss health issues openly while promoting positive masculinity and responsible decision-making.
What DEEPROOTS on Wheels Provides
DEEPROOTS on Wheels delivers a combination of information, prevention tools, and service linkages through mobile outreach activities.
Key services include:
• HIV prevention education and awareness
• Condom distribution and demonstrations
• HIV testing referrals and linkage to services
• Information on PrEP and other prevention options
• Conversations on healthy relationships and masculinity
• Peer-led discussions with adolescent boys and men
The outreach is supported by Peer Community Advisors (PCAs) who facilitate discussions and connect young men to youth-friendly health services.
How the Model Works
The DEEPROOTS on Wheels model combines mobile outreach, peer leadership, and community engagement.
The mobile van travels to strategic community locations where young men gather. At each stop, Peer Community Advisors engage participants through discussions, interactive activities, and information sessions.
Young men are able to ask questions confidentially, receive prevention information, and access referrals to nearby health services.
This approach helps remove barriers to information and makes HIV prevention services more visible and accessible.
Creating Safe Spaces for Boys and Men
A key goal of DEEPROOTS on Wheels is to create safe and non-judgmental spaces where adolescent boys and men can openly discuss issues related to:
• relationships and responsibility
• sexual health and HIV prevention
• masculinity and social expectations
• personal well-being and life choices
These conversations help challenge harmful norms and encourage healthier attitudes toward health-seeking behavior.
Part of the DEEPROOTS System
DEEPROOTS on Wheels is part of the broader DEEPROOTS System.
While community kiosks provide fixed access points for information and services, the mobile outreach component expands the reach of the program to locations where young men may not otherwise engage with health services.
Together, these approaches create a network of trusted entry points for HIV prevention information and support.
Youthplus 