Story by Grace Sibanda
TEENAGE pregnancies continue to affect several communities across the country, with many girls being forced to drop out of school and focus on taking care of the newborn.
This came out at an interactive workshop held in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo this Thursday.
Having been in a secret relationship with her boyfriend, 19-year-old Rethabile Ndlovu is now pregnant, a situation she says has dealt a huge blow in her life as she has to stop going to school for her to focus on taking care of her child.
“I got pregnant just after my ‘O’ Level examinations last year and being pregnant has derailed my life because now I have to focus on the baby and my life has been put on hold. I am a child who now has to take care of another and I am now a young wife, all things which are new to me,” she said.
Teenage pregnancies are affecting many young girls, thus perpetuating a cycle of poverty and vulnerability among girls and their families.
“I have a friend who got pregnant while we were in form 3 last year and her life changed ever since, it is important for girls to receive proper education because from what I have seen, girls are driven by peer pressure,” said a teenager.
A parent said, “Young ladies need a stronger voice than that of their peers, a voice that will make them understand that pregnancy stifles one`s growth.”
“As a parent, I think it is important that we become present for our children because we are the first port of call in protecting our children. The community should not raise our children for us,” another parent added.
Having organised an awareness workshop for girls and parents in the Cowdray Park community, the founder of Tete Vee Foundation, Ms Virginia Khoza says having such workshops is crucial for young women to have adequate knowledge and first-hand information on the consequences of adolescent pregnancies.
“We have seen that the pregnancy rate is so high so we have made it our mandate to educate young girls on the dire consequences of teenage pregnancy. We are here to support the government’s initiative to educate and counsel girl children so that we fight this crisis together because it cripples the development of our country.”
The consequences of teenage pregnancies are far-reaching as they not only affect the health and prospects of young women but also have implications on the socio-economic development of the nation.
