Pave Girls Tackle Teenage Pregnancy in Ogun

In response to the increasing rates of teenage pregnancy within schools in Ogun, young girls from the Platform for Amplifying The Voices and Empowerment of girls (PAVE) Project, an initiative of HACEY with support from Empower UK have launched activities in Community High School, Abaren, Mowe, under the theme: “SAY NO TO TEENAGE PREGNANCY”.

The initiative featured insightful presentations by the girls on crucial topics such as menstruation management, puberty, and teenage pregnancy. A standout moment of the event was the practical training on how to effectively wear pads and manage menstruation. One of the presenters, Olawale Eniola emphasized, “You don’t have to feel dirty before you change your pads.”

The discussions also delved into the causes of teenage pregnancy, highlighting some of the issues as greed as girls are often not contented with what their parents provide and are lured by the sight of money. The girls advised their peers to desist from greed, hoping the knowledge shared would inspire lifestyle changes and reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancies.

HACEY’s Program officer, Mercy Kalu shared an enlightening narrative about the impact of teenage pregnancy on young girls’ lives, noting that many have ended up as dropouts, nuisances to society, and have tarnished their families’ reputations. She said, “Today, we are live at Abaren Community in Mowe, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area in Ogun State. We are here to witness and join our PAVE fellows in their community outreach project.

“The PAVE Project empowers girls to identify and address key issues within their communities. In Abaren Community, the girls have identified several critical concerns, including teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse, and a lack of knowledge about good hygiene practices, particularly menstrual hygiene. The most pressing issue identified is teenage pregnancy, which the girls are eager to address.

“You might wonder why we are using a school-based approach for this outreach. The girls found that engaging through schools allows them to effectively reach a large number of their peers. I am incredibly excited to see this project come to life. The girls have developed content for IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) materials and have spoken to their fellow students about the impact of teenage pregnancy on their futures and careers.

“I am thrilled to see the growth and improvement in many of the girls. Some who were shy at the beginning of this project have now gained the confidence to speak out and lead discussions with other girls. This transformation is truly inspiring.

“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to HACEY and EmpowerUK for making this dream a reality. Your support has been invaluable in helping these girls realize their potential. I believe this effort will not stop here, and we will continue to see more girls thrive in every area of their lives.”

A teacher, Deborah Walade at the school expressed profound gratitude to the organizations for training the girls saying, “Hearing these girls teach today gladdens my heart. I am happy they are addressing their peers about teenage pregnancy, especially since it has been rampant in the school.”

The Pave Girls’ initiative represents a significant step towards fostering awareness and providing young girls with knowledge and support to improve their health, socioeconomic outcomes, and self-development through mental health support, capacity building on sexual and reproductive health and rights, life skills training, entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and advocacy.

We have trained teachers, community leaders, community volunteers, and non-profit partners within their communities to mentor, provide technical support, and facilitate the community’s safe spaces. Through the PAVE project, we are providing a platform for girls to safely interact with each other and share resources, information, and tools so they can continuously build their capacities and agency to make informed decisions and take action within their communities on issues most important to them.