“When I told my mother I was hungry, she told me to go to the man who got me pregnant.” These are the painful words of Lucy Bahati, a 19-year-old mother from Kibra, Nairobi, who got pregnant while in form one.
Her story echoes the struggles of many teenage mothers forced to abandon their education, only to face stigma and rejection from their families and society.
Kibra, being one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, presents numerous challenges for young girls including poverty, peer pressure, and lack of guidance.
Transforming lives of teenage mothers through education
Amid these struggles, hope is emerging through organisations like the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) which are stepping in to sponsor education for teenage mothers.
CIFF Executive Director Faustina Nyame underscores the need to take urgent action to ensure teenage mothers return to school.
“We need to ensure that half of the population by 2050 will be women and girls. We need to educate them and give them the right skills. Investing in girls today means securing a stronger future for our communities,” she says.
CIFF has been at the forefront of supporting children’s and women’s rights across 29 African countries.
The organisation invests in modern agriculture, combats neglected diseases such as worms and trachoma, funds girls to stay in school, and provides clean water systems.
Meanwhile, SHOFCO offers scholarships, mentorship, and daycare services for young mothers so they can continue their studies without the burden of childcare.
SHOFCO’s Coordinator of the school reintegration program Angela Ng’etich notes that such initiatives are shifting the community perceptions of teenage mothers.
“When a child gets the opportunity to go to school, and the parent sees their desire, enthusiasm for studying, and hard work, the parent’s attitude changes. They bring the child closer for support,” said Ng’etich.
For girls like Mariam Pamela, who became pregnant at 13, the program has been life-changing.
After initially being rejected by her mother, she was welcomed back home when SHOFCO intervened to support her education.
“When I became pregnant my mother was not happy and even tried to kick me out. I left and went to live with my cousin. SHOFCO later reached out to me after my mother learned about their sponsorship program. She asked if I wanted to go back to school. I agreed, and that’s when she accepted me again,” she recalls.
Gender equality will be achieved by 2158 – WEF
These interventions align with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, which calls for accelerated actions to empower women.
Richard Maribe, a teacher at SHOFCO Girls’ School says supporting girls to return to school after pregnancy is one way of achieving women empowerment particularly through education.
“Women play a crucial role in everyday life, and if you empower them, the whole nation benefits. Here at school, we teach them practical skills to help transform their lives in the future.”
Although steps have been taken to support gender equality, teenage pregnancy, early marriages, Female Genital Mutilation, sexual abuse and Gender Based Violence remain obstacles.
At the current pace, the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Report projects that full gender equality will not be achieved until 2158.
