Comprehensive care for young pregnant teenagers

International Council for Freedom, in alliance with the Civil Association Salud y Familia (Health and Family), is pleased to present its comprehensive program aimed at the prevention and specialized care of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood.

We offer a safe and fully supportive space that strategically combines medical-obstetric attention, psychological guidance, and training in parental skills and personal development for young mothers.

The Challenge in Venezuela

Venezuela faces one of the highest rates of early pregnancy in South America. In 2021, the fertility rate was 81.05 per 1,000 adolescents aged 15 to 19. The magnitude of the problem is alarming, with reports indicating that approximately 23.4% of all births in 2012 corresponded to mothers aged 10 to 19.

Our Dual Mission

Our strategy focuses on two fundamental pillars:

1. Comprehensive Prevention: We seek to prevent pregnancies and other risk situations through training in affectivity, sexuality, and values. These courses are taught to students, parents, and teachers in schools and communities.
2. Impactful Care: We ensure a healthy pregnancy and childbirth for young mothers. Our goal is to strengthen their psychological and emotional stability, as well as promote their educational continuity or the opportunity for labor insertion.

Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

At Salud y Familia, we believe in transforming a challenge into an opportunity for empowerment. We provide young women with the necessary tools to build a promising future for themselves and their babies.

By contributing to our program, you are investing in the future of two lives and sharing the commitment to creating a safer and fairer society.

Six impoverished, pregnant teenagers from the rural areas and poor neighborhoods of Baruta, near the capital, are receiving comprehensive support designed to safeguard their health and empower them for the future. These young women, aged 14 to 19 (including two 14-year-olds), are in highly vulnerable situations. One of the 14-year-olds has dropped out of school, while the other four are currently attending high school.

The program provides complete medical care throughout their pregnancies, including laboratory exams, imaging studies, and essential medicines and vitamins. They also receive clothing for their babies.

Beyond medical attention, the young mother’s benefit from psychosocial guidance aimed at protecting and empowering them and their children. They receive instruction in pregnancy and childbirth care, baby care, self-esteem, and family orientation. As their due dates approach, they are referred to hospital centers with detailed reports to ensure seamless care during delivery.

Generous volunteer women have provided each expectant teen with a gift package, including a baby bathtub filled with baby clothes, diapers, and other hygiene essentials.

To help them improve their living conditions and foster personal and family growth, the young mothers are also encouraged to participate in skills training. They are invited to learn trades and entrepreneurial tools, specifically in pastry-making and hairdressing, to help them secure livelihoods and meet their diverse needs.

This holistic approach not only protects the health of both mother and baby but also provides vital life skills, education, and incentives for these highly neglected young mothers to overcome their challenging circumstances.