Don’t take pride in early childbirth; teenagers advised
The Executive Director of Mama Happy Life Enhancement Foundation (MAHLEF), Reverend Mrs Georgina Happy Crentsil, has advised teenagers not to take pride in early child birth.
She noted that the high records of teenage pregnancy were a worrying phenomenon which demanded the involvement of various stakeholders to come together and stand up in the fight against it.
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MAHLEF is a community-based orphan care centre in Bankuman in Tema New Town, a coastal community in the Tema Metropolis,
It is focused on reaching out to teen pregnant mothers and their babies.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic during a presentation of food items and cash to the centre by the management of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, Rev. Mrs Crenstsil, said girls as young as 13 to 16 years in Bankuman were getting pregnant which was worrying.
She appealed to parents in the community to live up to their responsibilities to their children to prevent teenage pregnancy.
As part of its corporate social responsibility in its operational area, Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited, an independent power producer in the Republic of Ghana, donated some food items and toiletries worth GH¢5,500 as well as a cash amount of GH¢3,000 to the centre for the upkeep of the children.
Rev. Mrs Crenstsil, said due to the fact that the community was located close to the harbour as well as a number of factories, job seekers, especially, young men from the hinterlands who come to the place to work, ended up abusing the young girls and added that night life in the community was very active thus exposing the teenagers to all forms of abuse.
Support
She said MAHLEF, through support from individuals and organisations, was doing its best to reach out to the young girls by sensitising them to reproductive health to help reduce teenage pregnancy in the community.
Currently, the centre houses 12 teenage mothers who are receiving support and training in other vocational training institutions to help them to take control of their lives.
Day Care Programme
She explained that to help bridge the gap for children who did not start schooling early in life, the centre also ran an early childhood education programme adding that currently, 200 children were being educated at the centre.
She called on the community to do more to give adequate protection to girls to help them stay in school.
The Chairman of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, Mr Yang Qun, said the reason for the gesture was to touch the lives of the children at the centre, which is located in the same community they operate in and to encourage the managers of the centre to do more for the children.
Mr Qun said the donation was in connection with the celebration of the Chinese New Year and further commended the executive director and her staff for giving the children, hope and a better future.
Writer’s email: [email protected]