Teenage pregnancy continues to be prevalent in Tanzania. As United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports here, “when a girl becomes pregnant, her life can change radically. Her education ends and her job prospects diminish. She becomes more vulnerable to poverty and exclusion and her health often suffers. Teenage pregnancy, therefore, results in a cohort of young girls with little education and limited economic opportunities who cannot contribute to the development of the country. It harms not only individual girls and women, but also their families, communities and countries.”
Around 10% (113 in the first six months of 2020) of Maternity Africa’s deliveries are for teenage mothers. Many faced considerable pressure to marry young, and so to become mothers in their teenage years. Others are vulnerable because of dropping out of school, family conflict, domestic violence, lack of important, basic needs, abandonment and extreme poverty.
The majority of the teenage mothers are also abandoned or neglected by their babies’ fathers, and by their own families.
Maternity Africa has a dedicated programme for them, educating them about breastfeeding, hygiene, family planning and self-awareness. When there are sufficient funds, they are also provided with care packs, containing soap, baby clothes and other personal care items.
Please follow this link if you would like to support the teenagers who give birth with Maternity Africa. Thank you.