On 25 February 2022, UNICEF- Kenya launched the #GiveItAShot competition on Yunitok, a four-week national campaign aimed at increasing COVID-19 immunizations among adolescents and youth in Kenya. At the time, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation were widespread, and there was an urgent need to build trust in vaccination through channels young people already used and trusted. Yunitok, with its wide reach and interactive design, became the centerpiece of this effort.

How the Campaign Was Structured

The competition was built around four weekly modules, each designed to deliver accurate information while engaging youth in an interactive way:

Awareness Module: Youth received messages on how vaccines work, their safety, and why immunization is important.

Myth-Busting Module: Interactive quizzes and polls tested young people’s knowledge and corrected common misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines.

Community Advocacy Module: Participants were encouraged to share messages with peers, families, and communities, turning adolescents into vaccine ambassadors.

• • Engagement & Rewards Module: Weekly challenges and point systems kept the campaign fun and competitive, encouraging sustained participation.

How It Was Delivered

Every Friday, customized messages and quizzes were delivered via Yunitok SMS, chatbots, and digital polls, with reinforcement through social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To maintain energy, youth were invited to track their progress by texting “GPOINTS” to 20204, a simple feature that gave them instant feedback on their scores. Social media hashtags extended the campaign beyond the platform, ensuring youth voices carried into public spaces.

Results Achieved

The campaign attracted over 60,000 participants from across Kenya’s counties, proving Yunitok’s ability to mobilize youth nationally. Out of these, 176 young people scored above 17 points out of 24 and were recognized as winners, earning prizes and public acknowledgment for their commitment. Thousands more gained points weekly and actively engaged with polls, quizzes, and shared messages, demonstrating strong reach and interaction.

Impact on Youth and Communities

The impact extended beyond digital participation. By turning young people into Digital Champions, the campaign enabled adolescents to counter misinformation, build trust, and encourage their peers and families to vaccinate. Crucially, the campaign directly contributed to 7,276 young people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 during the campaign period, underscoring the link between digital engagement and real-world health outcomes. The gamified design made learning fun, creating healthy competition while reinforcing key health messages. As one Yunitoker from Busia reflected: “If we can educate as many young people as possible about the COVID-19 epidemic and vaccines, we can reduce infection and transmission rates.”

Ultimately, #GiveItAShot showed how combining digital platforms, gamification, and peer-to-peer advocacy can transform youth engagement into measurable health outcomes. The campaign not only raised awareness but also built confidence in vaccines and influenced behavior change, contributing directly to increased COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Kenya. It also demonstrated the scalability of Yunitok as a trusted platform for future adolescent health campaigns, including HPV vaccination.