Some 20 teenage mothers across selected districts in the Upper West Region have received support from Life Again Foundation.
The support, according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Life Again, is meant to equip and empower these young girls, regardless of their situation, to acquire skills from which they can build careers from, and become financially independent women in the future.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the official launch of the none-for profit organisation and its maiden campaign in Wa, the regional capital of the Upper West Region, the Executive Director of Life-Again, Madam Saudatu Mohammed, said the ultimate goal of the campaign was to have, if not all almost all teenage mothers acquire skills from which they can build careers and become financially independent women in future.
“We identify teenage mothers from remote communities in Northern Ghana, and provide them with mentoring, sex education and contraceptive use, and financial support to either go back to school to attain higher education, or to learn a vocation of their choice,” she said.
She added that the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the closure of schools across the country, had left a lot of teenagers, especially those in rural areas, pregnant, hence, the need to launch the campaign to get them back to school before they are married off.
“It is in the light of this that we are launching the #Empower A Teen Mother campaign, which seeks to support, at least, 50 teenage mothers this year. This campaign would enroll, at least, 30 teenage mothers back to school, and, at least, 20 teenage mothers on to skills training,” she categorically elaborated.
Some then teenage mothers, including Citi TV’s camera lady, Martina Zaaboga, and Kareema Mohammed, Chairperson of “CAMA,” shared their experience with the gathering, and admonished victims of teenage motherhood not to allow their current state of life to distract them, but rather do their best to be responsible in future.
Speaking after speakers, Mr. Archibald Donkor Junior, Upper West Regional Director of National Youth Authority (NYA), who graced the occasion, together with other partners, commended Life Again for such a wonderful initiative, and promise to rally support for them.
“As the government body in charge of coordinating youth activities in the region, we are extremely happy, not just because of the initiative, but also it being founded by a young lady. And so I call on all to give them the maximum support.”
Ten of the girls who showed an interest in vocational training were provided with sewing machines, with their fees paid, and others who were enrolled in schools were provided with chop boxes, uniforms and other educational materials.
From Musah Umar Farouq, Wa
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