Young mothers empowerment program

Support young mothers generate income through small businesses, complete their education, have healthy and non-violent relationships.

Why we care: ‘Wife beating’ to a large extent is still considered an accepted cultural norm putting many women and girls at risk to ongoing abuse and exploitation.

How we're solving this: Empower young single mothers to care for themselves and their children and to enroll their children back into school to help curb the cycle of abuse.

Sexual and gender-based violence is perpetuated at unacceptable levels in Ghana. The 2005 Ghana Country Report reveals that, Ghana is amongst the countries that records high levels of gender-based violence including physical, psychological, economic and sexual abuse. ‘Wife beating’ to a large extent is still considered an accepted cultural norm putting many women and girls at risk to ongoing abuse and exploitation. According to a UN report, 28% of males and 41% of females in Ghana between the ages of 15 – 19 still think that the husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife under certain circumstances.

In response to the situation in Ghana, Sally Appiagyei-Frimpong together with other young Ghanaians, have admirably taken on a most ambitious project: to empower young single mothers to care for themselves and their children and to enroll their children back into school to help curb the cycle of abuse. Sally is also the founder of Solutions for Life Initiative Ghana (SFLIG), a local non-governmental, citizens lead organization implementing the Young Mothers Empowerment Program.

The program to empower young mothers is being implemented in Hemang, one of the many small communities in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of Ashanti Region. Research on Hemang show that girls from as early as age 15 become pregnant before finishing Junior High School, and about 10 girls every year are not able to write their final exams to graduate to Senior High school because of being pregnant. Many of the young fathers are never held accountable and are able to continue their education. The increasing number of single and teenage mothers in the Ashanti Region has serious repercussions on the lives of these mothers, their families, their community and the nation as a whole. As a result these young mothers and their families become entrapped in an ongoing cycle of poverty and exploitation; they also become victims of domestic violence and suffer public ridicule and stigmatization.

Young mothers enrolled in the Young Mothers Empowerment Program will be trained and supported to: generate their own income through small businesses, complete their education, have healthy and non-violent relationships, and enroll their children back into school and away from economic activities (child labour).

SFLIG is supported by organisations like Planned Parenthood, Walk2Learn Int and other local organisations. Man Up Campaign is also committed to supporting SFLIG in their ongoing efforts to reduce Domestic Violence, especially violence against women and girls in Ghana.

Target population: young single mothers and their children

Project goal: to empower young single mothers to care for themselves and their children and to enroll their children back into school to help curb child labour

Objectives: 

1. Highlight the problems associated with and the social cost of teenage pregnancy and child labour;
2. Increase independence and financially empower young mothers in the Atwima Kwanwoma District;
3. Enroll children of young and teen mothers enrolled in the program back into school and kindergarten; and
4. Increase access to health care for young mothers and their children.

Planned activities:

1. Conduct one-on-one interviews to identify young mothers and specific issues that affect them;
2. Coordinate stakeholder meetings with young and teen mothers, teachers and other key community leaders;
3. Initiate a Basic Education course for young and teen mothers;
4. Conduct training sessions on: Self Esteem Building, Family Planning, Nutrition and Regenerative Health, Child Nutrition and Breastfeeding;
5. Reintegrate accepting young and teen mothers back into school;
6. Conduct vocational and small business training;
7. Support young mothers to access kindergarten and nursery for their children.