With the upsurge of teenage pregnancy raging Namibia, the government has decided to help young mothers with social skills to tackle their social challenges.
According to Marlene Mungunda, National Chapter Coordinator of the Forum for African Women Educationalist in Namibia (FAWENA), it is part of the government’s effort to prevent them from being rascals, and to encourage them to pursue their dreams irrespective of the stigma.
“It is important to educate and guide young girls in order to make right decisions and pursue their dreams. The benefits of educating girls raises maternal health, reduces child mortality, improves nutrition within the home and increases the potential workforce and opportunities for economic growth,” says Mungunda.
During the “Re-entry Program,” the girls were provided with scholarships by FAWENA to encourage them to return to school.
They were also inspired by role models and focal teachers through training and workshop sessions on the Ministry of Education’s Learner Pregnancy Policy. This is to help them stronger through the challenges they might encounter although their early motherhood stage.
According to Mrs. Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, a media personality who was one of the workshop facilitators, the role of education is an important factor to support these young mothers with the knowledge to train their children.
“Often times, the learner-mothers find themselves compromised as they may have no supportive system to see through the struggles of motherhood, which limits their potential to excel academically. We, therefore, need to equip our young mothers with social skills and confidence- and re-affirm that they are valuable,” said Basson-Namundjebo.
