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The proliferation of teen pregnancy has been a persistent problem in the country, and has been increasing over the years. Girls usually drop out of school when they get pregnant and many find themselves in dire poverty because they lack the skills, literacy level, and maturity to face the challenges of having to take care of themselves and their children. There are also many cases of loss of life when a teenage girl realises that she is pregnant and is desperate of the consequence. Some turn to charlatans who unfortunately are neither qualified or equipped to terminate a pregnancy; thereby many girls end up dying, which causes great pain to their families and loved ones. Due to the proliferation of teen mothers, the community finds itself faced with an increasing number of single women raising children in financially precarious situation.
In order to mitigate the problem of teen pregnancies, lack of education and basic skills that would facilitate self-employment or obtain a well-paid job, as well as financial precarity, The Rotary Club of Bamenda, will collaborate with a local charity association to sponsor teenage mothers and single young women, in the North West Region of Cameroon, to obtain basic education, secondary education, skills training in basic sustainable activities such as hairdressing, tailoring, decoration, farming, animal and bird raring. Those who demonstrate excellent education capacity, will be encouraged to pursue post secondary studies in professional institutions in professions such as nursing, lab technicians, teaching, secretarial and administrative assistant, etc. At the end of skills training, beneficiaries will be given grants to start their own income-generating activities, or assisted to find jobs relevant to their skills or academic qualifications. From the beginning of the teenage mother's retention to benefit from this project, onward individual and group counselling sessions will be given to them, in order to build up their self confidence and guide them to optimize the opportunity they are getting to reconstruct their lives, in view of becoming responsible and self-reliant mothers who will take proper care of themselves and their children.
The project is designed to cover a period of 3 years, to ensure that the beneficiaries complete the rehabilitation programmes in which they will be enrolled. The Rotary Club of Bamenda, in partnership with the local NGO, will also organise campaigns to sensitize youths, on good morale standards, civism, and respect for self and towards others. These campaigns will also include sex education and family planning to raise awareness on the consequences of getting pregnant as a child, in the short and long term, especially girls.
The Project funds will be used to pay tuition for skills training, primary, secondary, and post secondary education, purchase text and exercise books and all relavant articles and tools that are needed for their training and education. Funds will also be used to fund those who have completed skills training to set up income-generating businesses, some to start petty trades, and others to help them while looking for employment.
Club members will monitor progress of the beneficiaries and verify the proper use of funds by the local partner. The club will also hold join campaigns with the local partner to sensitize use on critical societal issues relevant to their age. The club will ensure visibility and publicity by organising meetings with local authorities, and publishing through radio and television channels, Facebook, YouTube and on Rotary Show Case. The Club will update partner clubs and ensure reporting on the progress of the project on line on time.
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