By Jumoke Olaitan
The Knowing and Becoming Foundation has unveiled an initiative to provide education, healthcare, mentorship and livelihood support to 100 vulnerable teenage mothers.
The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Miss Ene Samuel, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Samuel said the organisation was established to restore hope to vulnerable girls through evangelism, education, mentorship and empowerment.
According to her, the foundation has so far conducted two outreaches in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, reaching more than 80 girls with life-skills training, counselling and empowerment programmes.
She said the organisation was expanding its intervention to teenage mothers because many of them were abandoned after pregnancy, denied educational opportunities and left to struggle without emotional or financial support.
”Teenage pregnancy should not become a life sentence. These girls deserve another chance to learn, grow and become productive members of society.
”We want them to know that one mistake does not define their future. Through this programme, we are restoring hope while providing practical support that will help them rebuild their lives,” she said.
Samuel identified poverty and parental neglect as the major factors driving teenage pregnancy in the communities where the foundation operates.
According to her, many girls drop out of school because their parents cannot meet their educational and basic needs, making them vulnerable to exploitation by adults.
To illustrate the reality, she recounted the case of a 15-year-old girl who became pregnant after accepting food and money from an adult who later abandoned her.
She said the teenager never attended antenatal care and developed complications during pregnancy, requiring an emergency Caesarean section that her family could not afford.
”The foundation partnered with kind-hearted individuals to pay for the surgery, while also providing baby items and post-delivery support for both mother and child,” she said.
Samuel said beyond emergency assistance, the organisation also focused on helping beneficiaries regain confidence through counselling, mentorship, skills development and spiritual guidance.
She recalled another teenage mother who joined the foundation depressed after facing rejection and verbal abuse from family members.
According to her, the girl has now secured employment and is being supported by the foundation to return to school and register for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
”Our goal is not just to meet immediate needs but to help every girl rediscover her purpose and build a better future.
”We believe every girl has value, and with the right support, she can become a positive force in her family and community,” she said.
Samuel said the foundation’s intervention for the 100 teenage mothers would include baby care materials, financial support, access to healthcare through partner hospitals, counselling, mentorship and vocational training.
She said the initiative would cost about N1.7 million, adding that only about 20 per cent of the required funds had been raised.
She appealed to government, development partners, corporate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support the initiative through funding and partnerships.
She also urged governments to create more opportunities for out-of-school girls to return to school through scholarships and sponsorships, while calling on parents to take greater responsibility for the welfare of their children.
She stressed the need for schools and communities to strengthen awareness campaigns on teenage pregnancy, provide counselling services for adolescents and enforce measures that protect girls from sexual exploitation.
”We must stop condemning teenage mothers and start helping them rebuild their lives. Every girl deserves hope, dignity and another opportunity to succeed,” she said.(NAN)(www.nannew.ng)
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi