The Woman of Imperium Africa (WIAfrica) Foundation, a local NGO with international reach, is dedicated to reintegrating teenage mothers into society by enhancing job opportunities through its ‘Giving Girls Choices’ initiative.
In partnership with the Promoting Human Rights Network (PHN), WIAfrica focuses on educating and advocating for effective menstrual health hygiene management among adolescent girls and women in Ghana. On the back of this objective, WIAfrica and PHN recently conducted a sensitisation campaign in the Agavenya and Kotiy3aboa communities in Eastern Ghana, educating young women on teenage pregnancy and menstrual hygiene management.
During this event, they also committed to constructing mechanised boreholes in the community schools of Agavenya and Kotiy3aboa community to improve local WASH systems.
Lesley Aidoo Mensah, President of the group, highlighted the initiative’s broader impact. “Beyond mere acceptance of a pregnant teenage girl, how do we address the issues around job opportunities and creating an enabling environment that promotes growth for these girls?” Further, she stated: “By providing a reliable source of clean drinking water, we not only improve hygiene conditions, but also contribute to the overall well-being and sustainability of these communities.”
The organisation also addressed broader social challenges, including job opportunities and environmental factors that inhibit growth for these young women, while raising awareness of their sexual and reproductive health rights.
Edwinna Asare, an executive member of WIAfrica, emphasised the importance of supporting teenage mothers. “It is imperative to guide teenage mothers to thrive beyond their existing circumstances by navigating challenges with love, personal growth and unwavering strength.”
Looking forward, WIAfrica and the Promoting Human Rights Network are committed to continuing their work to improve the well-being of adolescent girls and women, with plans that include broader social initiatives and reintegration programmes to enhance job opportunities and break the cycle of generational poverty associated with teenage pregnancy and prevention of sexual and gender based violence through preventive measures of promoting sexual and reproductive health rights.
WIAfrica calls on partnerships and collaborations to enable them strengthen the support and interventions for adolescents girls and reach more communities.
