Table 5 Data collection elements

Baseline survey

Trained research assistants conduct baseline face-to-face interviews with girls at school immediately after recruitment. The structured questionnaires cover questions on date of birth (Additional file 4), marital status, previous childbearing, household assets, perceived community norms related to education, early marriage and childbearing, and knowledge about SRH and contraceptives (Additional file 5). Mobile phone numbers of participating girls (if any), parents/guardians and close relatives or neighbours are recorded for use in the follow-up interviews (Additional files 4 and 6). Brief interviews are also done with the girls’ guardians about the educational attainment of the girls’ parents and head of household (Additional file 6).

Follow-up contacts

All the girls in the trial will be contacted every 6 months via phone to update contact information and ask questions about school attendance, employment, marital status and childbearing. Girls in the intervention arms will be asked whether they have received the cash transfers and/or participated in the youth club meetings. To monitor adverse events, girls will also be asked about hospitalizations and whether they have experienced problems due to their participation in the trial. If the girl cannot be reached via phone, field-based research assistants will attempt to meet and interview her (Additional files 7, 8, and 9).

Qualitative process evaluation

IDIs and FGDs will be conducted to explore experiences with the various intervention components of purposively selected girls, boys, parents/guardians, and other community members.

Quantitative process evaluation

We will collect attendance lists from each youth club meeting and reports with counts of how many persons show up at all parent – and community– meetings. Information on who has received cash transfers and payment of school fees will be recorded. We will collect data on school performance, school attendance and exam results of all study participants from school registers.

Final follow-up survey

A phone-based final survey will be conducted at the end of 2020 when the majority of the girls will be above 18 years. The questionnaire will include measurements of the primary and secondary outcomes. If the girl cannot be reached via phone, field-based research assistants will attempt to meet her face-to-face. If additional funding is secured we will consider doing these interviews face-to-face instead.