By Pamela O'Brien | Acting Executive Director
At the African Education Program, we believe every girl deserves the opportunity to stay in school, pursue her dreams, and shape her future. That is why, even after reaching more than 6,000 youth in 2025 through our Peer Education Program in local schools across Kafue, Zambia, we are taking a hard look at a trend that deeply concerns us.
This year, the pregnancy rate among girls attending our flagship Learning & Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia, increased slightly to 2.6%.
Compared to Zambia’s national average where 28% of girls become pregnant before the age of 18, this number may seem small. But for us, even one girl stepping away from her education because of pregnancy is one too many. Too often, teenage pregnancy leads to girls leaving school, losing opportunities, and facing cycles of poverty that are difficult to escape.
Our local team is responding with urgency and compassion. Staff are holding strategy meetings, interviewing girls directly, and listening carefully to understand what additional support is needed. Whether that means more one-on-one check-ins, deeper mentorship, increased touchpoints, or engaging more boys and young men in these conversations, we are committed to doing whatever it takes to better support the young people we serve.
Real change happens when communities are willing to listen, adapt, and keep showing up, and that is exactly what our team in Kafue is doing every day.
How can you get involved? Funding for locally-led community organizations is more competitive than ever before. We have to be more creative in our asks and expand our donor network. You can share this email, our website, or order a book dedicated to our youth-led education, health, and leadership programs in Kafue, Zambia. We recently created a coffee-table style children's book, Jiya and the Wisdom of Elephants, in partnership with local Wayne, PA author and illustrator Dorothy Potash, featuring the story of a young elephant raised by her mother, her grandmother, and her community, growing into a leader through shared wisdom and care. We hope you check it out and order a copy for Mother's Day too.
With much gratitude,
Pamela O'Brien
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