STAR GIRLS- A Better Future Is Possible
If I had the world, I would give it all to you. Your resilience and strong will is just so encouraging. You guys have been through so much already yet very young. At 17 years you are raising twin babies all alone, at 18 years, two children, married (not the best marriage but the only option). At 13 years pregnant, depressed and devastated. The betrayal, the rejection, the struggle, the tears and the hard life you have to cope with at a very young age. Healing from traumatizing incidences (rape). And even those of us that were just being naive and having fun in the wrong way. We made mistakes that we regret till today. But we still smile and be strong for the sake of our children.
All these teenage mothers and young mothers hope for is a brighter future. Not just for them but also for their children. Some little light at the end of the tunnel. A second chance to make proud choices and the opportunity to continue pursuing their dreams and transform their lives. There are those that wish to go back to school(both primary and secondary school), others want to be enrolled for vocational training and skills, there are those that want so bad to have Income generating ventures and employment opportunities to grow their self reliance and reduce the risks and vulnerability that comes with dependency.
It is not real until you have seen how teen pregnancy is crippling the ambitions of young girls and minimizing their chances of leading a proper life while increasing the cycle of poverty in the slums. It is heartbreaking to see girls as young as 17 years enduring an abusive marriage just because they were rejected by their parents after falling into teen pregnancy.
The girl child in in Mukuru and the country is under threat from all manner of vices, including teenage pregnancy and early marriage. In a world where child protection laws and policies are in place, teenage pregnancies seem to be getting deeply root and there is definitely need for intervention to end teen pregnancies
Ruben Centre advocacy department is pioneering the ‘Star Girls’ Program with a vision to have ‘Reduced teenage pregnancies among in- and out-school adolescents through the provision of age appropriate sex & reproductive health education and linkage to teen friendly services and offer psycho-social support to teenage pregnant girls and teenage mothers in Mukuru Slums’
Our Key Objectives are:
1. To enlighten, educate and empower teenagers with comprehensive age appropriate sexual education- skills to support abstinence first, medically accurate information, reproductive health information
2. Offer Psycho-social support to teen pregnant girls in Mukuru to Improve their mental state and well-being through counseling
3. Empower teenage mothers to be self-reliant through Income Generating activities and empower them with parenting skills, nutrition and contraceptives information to enhance their well being
4. Enhance safeguarding of children in Mukuru Slums through educating them to know their Rights and addressing child protection concerns
5. Create a safe space for teenagers to access teen friendly services and empower Health staff personnel to acknowledge the need to support teenagers with necessary health information.
So far, we have registered 70 teenage mothers and about 40 expectant teenage girls aged between 13-19 years all from Mukuru for the Star girls program. We also have about 40 young mothers aged 20-23years enrolled in the star girls program as peer educators for other girls in the slums in the bid to stop teenage pregnancy through peer to peer education. We offer counseling support to the girls especially the pregnant teenagers to help them cope with their new reality.
We have also incorporated different activities for each group including fitness and dance club for teen mums and Young Mothers, support groups, Income Generating activities Training, art club and safe space for this group. We also continue to empower them with age appropriate information and education revolving around use of contraceptives, safe sex, healthy relationships, stress management, Parenting and nutrition, being a young mum among other topics.
The program has seen many girls benefit with information, counseling and many have a conducive environment to heal from their past wounds and so far the girls are opening up and expressing their struggles and needs.
Activity Log
Objective
1. To enlighten, educate and empower teenagers with comprehensive age appropriate sexual education- skills to support abstinence first, medically accurate information.
Activities
1.1 Hold a series of character building training, at the Ruben Centre Hall
(7th July 2020 and 28th July)
Training 50 pregnant (2 different groups of 25 each) teenagers ages 14-19 years on antenatal care, nutrition, Preparation for parenthood, Group counseling, Stress management and behavior change
Needs and findings
The girls are young and their pelvis bones are still developing
Most girls are still at risk of falling into teenage pregnancies as they are engaging in early and unprotected sex
Poverty in families- most girls have no money to cater for their unborn babies needs
Most pregnant girls are stressed and traumatized
Recommendations/ Way forward
Need for exercise during pregnancy to help them prepare for safe/normal deliveries
There is need for training on sexual education and reproductive health for teenage girls who are at high risk of falling into teenage pregnancy
·The social department can consider supporting a few needy teenagers with baby clothes and diapers
Activities
1.2 Training 50 teenage mums aged between 16yrs- 19 years on
Use of contraceptives to prevent second and third pregnancy
Parenting skills (danger signs for children/immunization/ nutrition/milestones)
Behavior change/healthy relationships/STIs, STDs
Needs and findings
Girls have misleading information on contraceptives that hinder them from using them and thus risk getting second and third unplanned pregnancies
Some teen mums are still not well versed with parenting
Recommendations/ Way forward
Zumba classes
About 9 girls to be advised more on family planning and to access the services when they need it
Dance club for teenage mothers
Body fitness classes
Objective
2. Empower teenage mothers to be self-reliant through income Generating activities, vocational skills and linking teenage mums to go back to school
Activities
3.1 Conduct Training on Income Generating activities for teenage mums who are aged between 18-19 and have no interests in school
3.2 Linkage of 50 teenage mums aged between 18-19 to casual job opportunities in local companies to earn income to support their children
3.3 Support 50 teenage mums to enroll in vocational training courses of their choice to gain hands on skills
3.4 Support 30 teenagers under the age of 18 years to complete both primary and secondary school
Recommendations/ Way forward
· There is need to find funding to support teenage mothers that are interested in continuing with their education
· Find strategic partnerships with local companies to find job opportunities for young mums aged 18-22yrs
· Working with HDSTP department at Ruben Centre, empower teenagers with hands on skills e.g. Soap making, mat making and basic entrepreneurship skills
By Margaret Kariuki
Edits: GB