We’re thrilled to share a monumental milestone from the heart of Ghana: the UNICEF Agoo platform has officially surpassed 10 million engagements.
This isn’t just a number; it represents a decade of meaningful conversations, critical information dissemination, and empowered youth across the nation. The Agoo story offers invaluable insights into the power of adaptive technology and strategic partnerships.
The Genesis: Crisis Response and Critical Health Education
The UNICEF Agoo platform in Ghana was originally launched in 2015 during the Ebola outbreak (following a major Cholera crisis) to leverage mobile technology for large-scale, interactive Public Health Crisis Response and Prevention and Youth Education and Engagement in Ghana.
Led by UNICEF, the Ghana Health Service, powered by MTN Ghana, and supported by Viamo, the Agoo Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform was designed to provide accurate and free health information in six widely spoken languages. This interactive approach was pivotal, transforming passive information reception into active engagement, ensuring critical messages reached even the most hard-to-reach communities.
The Evolution: Ghana's Largest Youth Information Platform
The platform, often referred to simply as Agoo (meaning “announcing one’s presence” in Ghanaian languages), has since evolved to cover a wider range of topics important to young people, establishing itself as the largest youth-targeted inclusive health and social information platform in Ghana.
Its comprehensive thematic coverage now includes:
- Maternal and child health and WASH
- Nutrition and food security
- Gender-based violence (GBV)
- STI/HIV, HPV, and Mpox prevention
- COVID-19 response and more
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, interactions reached an all-time high, underscoring Agoo’s essential role in national crises.
A Landmark Achievement: 10 Million Engagements
In 2025, the platform reached the impressive milestone of 10 million engagements from over 530,000 unique users between the ages of 15-19.
Agoo demonstrates how mobile-first, voice-based solutions can extend access to accurate, reliable, and stigma-free information to a massive audience. The platform’s success highlights the critical importance of:
- User-led design and multilingual accessibility.
- Programming underpinned by behavioural insights and drivers.
- Sustainable government and private sector partnerships that have ensured its longevity for over a decade.
The Next Frontier: AI-Driven Health Advisories with 'Asempa'
The journey doesn’t stop at 10 million. Looking ahead, UNICEF and Viamo have integrated ‘Asempa’ (Good message), an offline AI-driven health advisory service for youth, directly into the Agoo ecosystem.
Pilot tests indicate a keen interest in sexual and reproductive health topics and the immense potential to revolutionize Social and Behavior Change (SBC) campaigns for youth by providing personalized, on-demand, and stigma-free advice, even without internet connectivity.
This innovation promises to deepen engagement and empower youth further in managing their health and futures.
