This programme positively changes the direction of the life of the adolescent mother in townships and rural areas by helping her return into the formal schooling system and supporting those back at school by providing practical and meaningful assistance, guidance and skills. We provide 1) support for young mothers academically for Maths and science excellence, 2) leadership development, 3) lifeskills training and 4) motherhood support and counselling, to enable them to break the cycle of poverty
1 in 3 expectant mothers is 19 years or younger yet only 1 in 3 of these young mothers returns to the formal schooling system. Teen pregnancy is inversely linked to socio-economic development and education levels, hence more prevalent at lower income schools and within poorer communities. The South Africa Demographic and Health Survey revealed a decline in the teenage pregnancy rate as education levels increase, with 7% of them with higher education compared with 20% with grade 6 - 7 education.
Each month of the programme, the following will take place: i) 2 Maths and 2 science extra lessons will be provided each week ii) an English lessons will be provided each week, iii) leadership workshops, which include group mentoring will be held twice a month, iv) life skills workshops will be held twice a month, and v) a group counselling and motherhood support session will be held each week. Included in the annual programme are 2 camps and a 2 week work experience placement
Graduates of our programme will demonstrate improved self-esteem by, importantly, returning to formal schooling to use education to break their cycle of poverty. They will be competent in Maths and science to enable them to pursue further studies in technical professions as South Africa has an acute shortage of female professionals in these professions. They will have a clear sense of their goals and how to achieve them, and have a stronger support network for themselves and their children.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
